


Canon Adjacent

by Danger_Mouse



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: ALL THE FLUFF, Endgame Clarke Griffin/Lexa, Extra fluff, F/F, Feel-good, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Slow Burn Clarke Griffin/Lexa, completed work, goufa, mostly fluff a dash of pining, story line is a vehicle for clexa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:14:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 32,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27054760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Danger_Mouse/pseuds/Danger_Mouse
Summary: “You didn’t, by the way.” Clarke breaks the long silence and Lexa starts like she had been close to sleep.“What?” Lexa whispered into the darkening space, lifting her head to stare into Clarke’s eyes.“Steal me.” Clarke clarifies. “You didn’t steal me. I know I said I would stay with my people no matter what but…”“But what, Klark?” Lexa presses.“Would it be so bad if I chose you?”orThe story I wrote because all I wanted was some goddamn love
Relationships: Clarke Griffin/Lexa
Comments: 27
Kudos: 201





	Canon Adjacent

**Author's Note:**

> This is only slightly canon. More along the lines of, what if Clarke got separated from the 100 early on and Lexa found her lost in the woods?

“Where are we going?” Clarke questioned as she struggled to keep up with the swarthy woman making her way through the thick forest with ease. The woman didn’t even turn or slow down to give her response in a language Clarke had ever heard before. It almost sounded like broken English but Clarke couldn’t follow any of it to save her life and only responded with a clumsy, “Huh?” The woman scoffed with annoyance at Clarke’s ignorance and continued to charge through the thick underbrush. Clarke swallowed down her embarrassment and did her best to follow the woman in silence. When Clarke’s eyes weren’t on the forest floor trying to keep her footing she spent the time trudging through the dense forest eyeing the woman Clarke hoped was trying to help her. 

She was a Grounder, Clarke knew that much. She would have recognized her as one of the hundred and as far as Clarke was aware, you were either one of the hundred from the ark or...well, you weren’t. And this woman most definitely was not part of the hundred. She wore black war paint around her green eyes, making them pop with vibrant hues and sparks of gold. The paint swooped up dramatically from her brows and up into her hairline as well as dripped down her high cheeks and sharp jawline posing an intimidating figure. A round piece of jewelry was also placed between the grounder’s brows but Clarke hadn’t gotten a good look at it. Clarke mostly just wondered how she got it to stay on. She wore all black and tattered clothes, every piece of clothing was mended with great care countless times and altered to fit a hard lifestyle on the ground. Resulting in new seams and belts and buckles and pieces of sewn in metal and leather. She had wild curly chestnut hair that fell down her back and shoulders, tamed with countless braids and knots creating a surprisingly beautiful head of hair. And the woman was lean but strong. Clarke could tell by the way she bounded across the precarious forest floor with ease, her steps sure and steady and strong. Most intriguing of all to Clarke is that the woman appeared to be no older than herself, maybe even younger. It made Clarke think about how quickly Grounder children must have to grow up in this world and that in turn terrified Clarke. 

The Grounder had come across Clarke four days into her accidental exile in the forest. Clarke had been among the first of the hundred to go looking for resources in the forest surrounding the dropship and in turn had grown too cocky and confident in knowing her whereabouts. It just took Clarke traveling an extra hour deeper into the woods and for her to become lost in thought for only a few minutes for her to find herself completely turned around. The following days had been a living nightmare for Clarke, starving, thirsty, and open to the elements, Clarke had spiraled downward quickly. Her clothes torn to shreds and filthy(Clarke herself was filthy too), her hair a wild nest of gnarls, and her exposed skin was covered in cuts and scratches. When thick thorny brambles stood between Clarke and the fresh water of a stream, Clarke had been too thirsty to even think about trying to find a safer route to water. She had dove right into the thicket and was unaware of the damage she had done to herself until twenty minutes later as she lay next to the water after having her fill. 

It was a miracle the grounder had found Clarke at all. Clarke had found a stone fruit tree soon after gorging herself on water that she didn’t recognize but had been too hungry to take proper precautions and had stuffed herself to the point of being uncomfortable. Not even an hour later and Clarke had found herself releasing the contents of her stomach quite suddenly. The next few hours Clarke spent dry heaving and crumpled in half with extreme cramping. Soon after, Clarke had fallen asleep curled into the roots of an ancient tree, exhausted and ready to give up. 

When next Clarke woke it was to the unpleasant sensation of someone forcing an unknown and bitter liquid down her throat. A strong hand gripped Clarke’s jaw holding her mouth open while another forced down the thick substance past her lips. Obviously, Clarke had panicked and tried to push the possible poisoner away but had only been met with a firmer grip on her and words spoken in an unknown language. The tone was gentle and calming and the eyes that Clarke’s had locked onto during her panic gave Clarke the sense of security needed to cooperate. Swallowing the remainder of the thick liquid Clarke allowing the stranger to haul her up on her feet. 

It had felt like hours since the grounder had urged Clarke to start following her through the forest. Clarke hoped the stranger was taking her back to the dropship. More importantly, she hoped the strange tingling sensation in her mouth and in her fingers and toes had nothing to do with the slop the woman had forced her to swallow. 

Clarke was pulled from her thoughts when she ran straight into the back of the grounder and fell ungracefully back onto the ground. 

“Shit!” Clarke cursed in surprise, feeling her wrists twang in pain from being thrown out to catch her fall. 

“Shh.” The stranger hissed back at Clarke as she pulled a stubby knife out of her boot and took a protective stance over Clarke. 

A cold sweat took over Clarke’s body and she froze in place, swiveling her eyes around the surrounding woods for the threat but couldn’t see anything. Clarke couldn’t even hear anything but the grounder woman was on high alert. She slowly bent down to eye level with Clarke, moved to place a finger over her lips signaling Clarke to be quiet and then proceeded to gently slide one arm under Clarke’s legs and the other behind her. The grounder’s even breaths hit Clarke’s forehead before she whispered a single word to Clarke. “Calm.” And then proceeded to carefully lift Clarke in her arms. If it weren’t for Clarke’s paralyzing fear at the unknown situation she found herself in she would have exclaimed in puzzlement over how strong the woman carrying her was and the fact that she had just spoken English to her. But as it was, there was an unknown danger in the woods with them and Clarke’s stranger found Clarke so loud that even walking would give away their position. So Clarke clenched her jaw and thought light thoughts as the woman began to silently carry her back the way they came before making a wide arc around the area they had previously been in. 

Only after they were well and truly out of the area of danger, did the grounder gently lower Clarke back onto her own two feet. She once again placed her finger over her lips to shush Clarke’s incoming onslaught of questions and whispered in the strange language to Clarke before she pointedly moved her hands towards their feet indicating for Clarke to follow in her footsteps. It only took about five minutes and one loudly cracked twig under Clarkes boot for the woman to once again swoop Clarke up in her arms and suddenly change direction. Although this time she lifted Clarke with less gentleness and grumbled under her breath in annoyance as she did so. By this point Clarke’s legs and arms began to tingle as well and her nausea was beginning to return. Clarke’s body stiffened with fear at the revelation and the stranger must have felt it because she quickly whispered soothing words under her breath to Clarke as they silently made their way through the forest. 

When Clarke’s eyes began to droop, she felt the strangers strides lengthen and her pace quicken. Even an occasional sound of crunching leaves was made by the rushing grounder. But Clarke’s mind was too fuzzy to worry about anything. Instead Clarke rested her head against the grounders shoulder and inhaled deeply of the woman’s scent. She smelt like wood smoke and sweat and damp earth after the rain. She smelt comforting and warm and Clarke closed her eyes and hummed at the sudden safety she felt nuzzled into the grounder’s shoulder. 

Clarke was jostled awake by the stranger frantically shaking her shoulders as she held a new paste up to Clarke’s mouth. The woman didn’t even give Clarke the time to take in her surroundings or blink her eyes fully awake before she was forcing her coated fingers into Clarke’s mouth and depositing the awful tasting paste. 

“Eck.” Clarke protested the terrible taste and swallowed quickly as the woman began to tear away what remained of Clarke’s tattered clothes. “Hey!” Clarke struggled against the strong woman but was forced down onto her back onto something soft and warm before the woman continued the methodical removal of Clarke’s clothes. The grounder had more trouble once she tried to remove the metal band around Clarke’s wrist. She pinched her face in concentration as she pried at the bracelet with all her might. When that didn’t work she reached for her knife to pry it free. “Please. Don’t.” Clarke asked. It was the only thing tying her to the Ark anymore. It relayed signals to Clarke’s mother, keeping her informed of Clarke’s health. If removed, it would look as if Clarke was dead. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for her mother to believe that. Even if most of the other teens sent to Earth with Clarke had already removed theirs. The grounder contemplated the device and prodded it to look for any scratches underneath it. Satisfied there weren’t she moved on to the rest of Clarke’s clothing. Once Clarke was completely bare the woman started to scrub vigorously at Clarke’s filthy skin with a wet rag that had been soaking in a steaming bowl of water, revealing the various gauges and scratches left by the thorns and stumbling through the woods. Clarke’s embarrassment at being nude in front of the admittingly beautiful stranger quickly became lost once Clarke saw the look of urgency on the woman's face as she revealed more marks on Clarke’s skin.

“What’s wrong?” Clarke asked as she began to fully take in her surroundings. It was hard because her head felt muddy but as far as Clarke could tell she was in some sort of small, windowless hut and laid out on a low bed covered in furs. A small fire burned against the opposite wall and there were several thick pots placed among the ashes, heating whatever lay inside. 

The woman’s response shocked Clarke out of her observations. “You have been poisoned rather badly. I must clean and apply this poultice to counteract the thorns toxins before your body begins to shut down. I’m assuming your limbs have been feeling the effects for some time, considering how loudly you were crashing through the brush.” Her voice was smooth and lovely and held on to a bit of an accent from the previous language she had been speaking to Clarke in.

“You?...What? You speak English?” Clark gaped. “You let me believe you didn’t understand me for hours?!” 

“No good would have come of me telling you the situation during that time. You would have panicked and been even more useless during our trek. Now that I have the appropriate medicine to heal you, we can speak freely without the worry of your fear making things worse.”

Clarke was dumbstruck. Slightly offended. But mostly speechless. Instead of waiting for a response from Clarke, the grounder began to apply a thick coating of a brown paste over Clarke’s cuts and scrapes. It burned fiercely and the woman gave Clarke a warning look with a raised brow, letting Clarke know she could either grin and bear it or be forced into the application process like an unruly child. Clarke tried to sit as still as she could for the young woman helping her but still couldn’t help but hiss in pain as some of the deeper cuts were tended to by surprisingly gentle hands. Once all of Clarke’s wounds were covered in the poultice, the grounder helped to slide Clarke fully into the bed and covered her in furs. 

“We will keep you warm and hydrated for the next few hours, then you will most likely come down with fever. It should be mild but still…” She pauses to pour a steaming liquid from one of the pots into a wooden mug, handing it to Clarke. “We need to be cautious. I’ve never seen someone so covered in wounds from bitter brambles. Once your fever breaks we’ll know you are safe from any toxins still left in your system.”

“I…” Clarke finds herself lost for words again. Her mind is swimming with questions but all she can get out is a quiet, “thank you.” 

“It would be much appreciated if you refrained from stumbling into any more poisonous plants from now on.” 

Clarke opened her mouth to argue but was quieted by the woman tossing her hand up in the air commandingly, silencing Clarke before she could even form a proper response. 

“Save your energy for surviving through the night. You will need it for tomorrow when you answer my questions. Least of all why the only language you seem to be able to speak is gonasleng.” 

With that, Clarke’s savior turned on her heel and left Clarke alone in the room, the gentle crackle of the fire soothing her back to sleep, regardless of the countless questions rolling around in Clarke’s mind and the head to toe numbing sensation. She was finally safe and warm and that’s more than what Clarke had had since before she had even come down on the dropship. 

↢ ∞ ↣

“Wake up, Goufa.” 

Clarke’s mouth was dry and her head felt like it was split in half, releasing the contents of her entire being onto the surrounding bed like a slow ooze. Clarke felt like she couldn’t open her eyes if her life depended on it. Given the current situation, perhaps that was the case.

Gentle hands fluttered over the exposed skin of Clarke’s neck and throat, feeling her pulse with calloused fingers before checking her temperature with the back of a hand laid on her forehead.

“Your fever has broken, Goufa. You need fluids and a wash and some food if you can keep it down.”

Clarke just groaned and tried to turn further into the blankets but was suddenly shook with the intense pain the movement of her body created. It felt as if Clarke had turned to stone and the reawakening of her limbs sent licks of fire down into the very pith of her. 

“The sooner you move and release the last of the lingering toxins, the quicker the pain will subside.” The grounder woman encouraged as she slid her hand under Clarke’s shoulders and slowly pulled her into a sitting position.

Clarke cried out in pain as fire coursed through her back and shoulders where the woman was touching her. “Open your eyes, Goufa.” The grounder encouraged. “Open your eyes and look at me.” 

What felt like eons passed before Clarke had the courage to open her eyes and face the pain that awaited even that small movement. 

“Good.” The woman said softly again. “Keep blinking and focus on my face while we get you moving.”

“No. Please.” Clarke begged through clenched teeth, feeling panic take over her body at the impending agony moving her limbs would surely create. 

“Look at me, Goufa. Now that you have opened your eyes do they still cause you pain?”

Clarke looked to the grounder woman. She was kneeled in front of Clarke, her hands had fallen to rest on either side of Clarke’s hips, caging her in and ready to catch Clarke if she started to fall. Gone was the intimidating face paint and instead a fresh faced and beautiful woman was staring up into Clarke’s eyes. She was tanned golden from the sun and her eyes had taken on a softer almost mossy hue without the war paint around them. Clarke let herself get lost in that face as the grounder began to talk soothingly in her strange language and began to slowly reach for Clarke’s limbs, lifting and bending and working out the pain until Clarke was standing bare in front of her and the sharp agony of moving her body had been replaced by an aching throb. 

“You will be sore for several days but the pain will lessen with time, you are through the worst of it.” 

“Thank you.” Clarke mumbles weekly. The process had taken more time Clarke thought possible and it had completely tired her out. 

“It would have been cruel of me to not help when I knew what you needed and had the means to do so. Come now, I have a bath waiting for you to wash away the poultice.” She led Clarke deeper into the space and around a stone wall where there was a large metal tub elevated with bricks and mortar with a gap underneath filled with glowing coals. The only light source came from a few candles placed strategically throughout the space and the flickering coals. The grounder tested the water with her hand before reaching out to Clarke and hauling her up the few steps to the tub and helping her climb in. The heat was amazing and Clarke immediately let out a low moan of pleasure. Clarke felt herself blush at the tone her voice had taken on and did her best not to make eye contact with the grounder who was awkwardly clearing their throat next to her.

“I…” Clarke started but was cut off by the woman.

“I will leave you for some time so relax before bringing soap and helping with your hair.” The woman had fled the room before Clarke could get out a thank you. 

Clarke sunk as deeply into the bath as possible and silent tears began to fall down her cheeks. This is the first bath she had taken in her entire life and it was better than she could have ever imagined. The cold of space had been the only thing Clarke had ever known before being sent down to Earth. The showers were few and far between in space. There wasn’t any dirt on the arc to make themselves dirty so the only thing to wash away was body odor, plus the showers could hardly be called that. They were limited to the amount of water they could use and energy was never wasted on heating it. Showering was a chore, not a luxury like this bath. And the thought that so many of her people had lived and died in space without experiencing the simple pleasure of a bath or to feel the warmth of the sun on their face only brought out more tears. Clarke’s father had never been truly warm. Had never smelt the air after a rain, or tasted fresh water. Closing her eyes, Clarke willed her body to fully relax and enjoy the bath regardless of the circumstances she found herself in. Yes she is probably further from the drop ship than she has ever been and probably has no hope of finding it again. And yes, she has found herself at the mercy of a stranger. But the woman is nice and the water is warm and Clarke’s body doesn’t feel like it’s on fire anymore and maybe the woman will give Clarke enough supplies to make it back to the drop ship somehow. Maybe the woman will help Clarke get back. 

“I’ve brought you soap.” The woman’s voice startles Clarke and she splashes some water out of the tub in her jerky reaction. The coals under the tub hiss in complaint. 

“Sorry.” Clarke says meekly and does her best to cover her exposed breasts and wipe away any tear tracks left on her face. Now that Clarke has regained her faculties and the threat of dying not so eminent, she found herself extremely embarrassed at her state of undress for the past day or so. 

“Do I make you uncomfortable?” The woman asks, holding a small square of soap out for Clarke to take. “I can promise you I have done my best to avert my gaze and secure your modesty.”

“No, no. It’s ok. I’m just embarrassed is all.” Clarke says as she reaches for the soap and begins to lather it in her hands. 

“There is nothing to be embarrassed of. You were in need of help and I was there to offer it. Nudity is nothing to be ashamed of when it’s of a medical nature.” 

“You’re right.” Clarke says as she still avoids eye contact with the grounder and focuses instead on the creamy lather in her hands. 

“I’ll leave you to wash in private and return to help with your hair if you’d like.”

Clarke risks a glance up at the woman and is surprised to see an equal blush adorning her cheeks. “Thank you.” Clarke says softly and the woman’s eyes flit up from the floor to her own. 

“As I’ve said before, no thanks is needed.” The woman replies in her own soft tones before straightening up and moving out of the room calling over her shoulder. “Now wash up, Goufa, we have much to discuss.” 

↢ ∞ ↣

The woman’s hands are deftly working the knots out of Clarke’s hair as she continues to lather the soap into Clarke’s scalp. All the while Clarke is using all of her will power to hold in the sounds of pleasure begging to slip past her lips.

“Now tell me, Goufa. What is your name and where are you from?” 

Clarke has to swallow before she can answer. “Uhm. Clarke. Clarke Griffin and I’m uhhh… not from around here.”

“That much is obvious, Klark.” The woman’s accent sounds lovely wrapped around Clarke’s name. “Where are you from?” The question sounds more like a demand this time and Clarke wills her brain to think of something quickly. Clarke needs to protect her people, she doesn’t know if this woman will take her people's presence as a threat and move to eliminate that threat. Clarke also isn’t sure if not telling the truth would be a mistake as well. What if she is being overly cautious for nothing? And the grounder woman could help them familiarize the rest of the hundred with their new home. Teach them how to survive. Clarke didn’t even think there were any more grounders left alive on Earth until she was saved by one.

“Klark.” The woman snaps Clarke from her thoughts. “Tell me.”

Clarke clears her throat and decides to test the waters. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

The grounder’s hands still in Clarke’s hair only long enough for Clarke to notice before she is back to her ministrations. “Try me.”

“Well, I’m an outcast.” Clarke starts.

“So the desert then?” 

“No.” Clarke shakes her head. “Maybe a type of desert.”

“Speak plainly, Goufa.” The annoyance of Clarkes indirect answers beginning to seep into the grounder's voice.

“Why do you keep calling me, gopher?” Clarke asks, stalling.

“Goufa.” The woman corrects as she pushes the tops of Clarke’s shoulders, signaling for Clarke to lay back and rinse her hair. “And it means child. Now tell me about this ‘desert’ you come from.”

“Child?” Clarke asks. Genuinely confused now and not trying to stall any longer.

The woman sighs heavily as she runs her fingers through Clarke’s hair under the water. 

“Yes. Child. The way you were bumbling about the woods and getting yourself into trouble was like a child having taken their first steps into the wild.” 

“Oh well that’s…” Pretty accurate, Clarke thought. “A bit rude actually.” 

“It is not my fault that that is how you handled yourself. It is also not my fault that that is how you are acting now, evading my questions. Goufa.” The woman taps on the top of Clarke’s head for her to sit back up before she starts running a floral scented oil through Clarke’s hair. “I have been kind to you. Now be honest with me and answer my questions.”

The stubbornness the grounder possesses strikes Clarke oddly. Why be so insistent on specifics? Clarke knows if she was trying to get some answers from someone who had almost potentially died she would have taken what was given and try to expand from there. 

“Why do you want to know so bad?” Clarke, questions. Turning into the tub and fully facing the woman. “Why does it matter?”

The grounder looks up to the ceiling in frustration before responding. “Because, Klark, you are a stranger in my land speaking a lost language wearing strange clothing and during a rather strenuous time for my people. I  _ will  _ get the answers I seek. But I would prefer it if we could do so peacefully.”

“Are you threatening me?” Clarke asks, wary of her predicament. Naked with no protection or weapons with an obviously dangerous woman. 

“If that’s what it takes for you to speak to me then, yes. But I will have you know I would rather not hurt you. I’d rather sit around the fire with you and eat a meal together in polite conversation. I’d rather listen to what you have to say, believable or not, and then do my best to help you. I’m not sure who you think I am but I assure you I am not some wild beast ready to pounce once you have been made comfortable.”

“I…” Clarke rakes her eyes over the woman’s face searching for any sign of deceit but all she can find is a stoic face with pleading eyes. “Ok.” Clarke slumps in defeat back into the cooling water. 

“Good.” The grounder says, pleased with herself as she wipes her hands dry on her pants and stands her full height. “Towel is on the floor next to you, dry off, I’ll bring you some clothes. Then we will continue our conversation.”

Clarke just nods in agreement as the woman makes her way out of the room. “Hey wait!” Clarke calls out just before she disappears around the corner. 

“Yes?” The grounder asks, turning slightly back towards Clarke.

“What’s your name?” 

There’s a brief pause and the grounder hesitates before answering Clarke. “You may call me Leksa.” 

↢ ∞ ↣

Clarke’s body begins to ache again once she is out of the hot water but still not as badly as before the bath. The clothes she is wearing are worn and soft and slightly too small for her but otherwise feel nicer than some of the scratchy material they had used on the ark. The grounder, Lexa, is silently preparing them a meal over the fire while Clarke sits cross-legged as close to the heat as she can get with a fur draped over her. The heat helps to soothe her aching body. 

“So.” Lexa breaks the silence, sitting down gracefully next to Clarke. “May we continue our conversation from earlier or are you going to manage to derail my questions again?” 

“I’ll answer your questions but I need some guarantees first.” Clarke had made up her mind to tell the truth as long as Lexa had promised to cause no harm to the remaining survivors of the dropship. 

“I already told you I would not hurt you, Klark.” Lexa shakes her head as she speaks. “My word is one you can trust.”

“That’s good but I’m not speaking for myself.” 

“Oh?” Lexa asks. Turning more fully towards Clarke. The contents of their meal slowly bubbling in a pot next to them. “Then what guarantees are you speaking of?”

Clarke swallows thickly and sits up as straight as she can, preparing herself to reveal potentially dangerous information. She watches as Lexa mimiks her posture. “There are more people like me in these lands.”

“How many?” Lexa asks quickly before Clarke can continue. But Clarke decides to disregard the question and continue on with her demands. 

“I need to know that you will not harm any of my people after I tell you what you wish to know. I need to know that you personally will do them no harm and that you will not indirectly hurt them by telling others about my people, leading them to be harmed.”

Lexa is silent for some time, gazing intently into Clarke’s eyes like she’s looking for something in them. “That…”, she starts slowly, “is a big ask. Especially since I don’t know who you or your people are. You could be raiders, coming to hurt  _ my _ people. Where does that then leave me?”

“I promise you we mean no ill intent. We’re just trying to survive. All we’ve ever done is try to survive.” Clarke pleads. 

“Very well.” Lexa nods thoughtfully and leans close into Clarkes space, an obvious show of power. “I will do everything in my power to do no harm to you or your people either directly or indirectly.”

Clarke sighs heavily and starts to relax. 

“However.” Lexa continues. “If I find your presence in these lands ill intended or bear witness to any wrongdoings by you or your people, I retain the right to act accordingly.”

“I…” Clarke struggles with an argument. Knowing that Lexa is in the right frame of mind to not trust a stranger but wanting a more concrete promise from the woman. 

“You will find I will not budge on this, Klark. I think myself a just person. In time, I believe you will feel the same.” 

Clarke is quiet as she takes in the woman in front of her. Powerful. Well spoken. Confident. Intelligent. Eager for information. Beautiful. It suddenly strikes Clarke that Lexa may not just be someone taking a random jaunt in the woods when they found her. Lexa could have been dressed for war. She was wearing war paint for gods sake. Lexa could have been  _ looking  _ for Clarke, or more accurately the dropship, and had come across Clarke first. Perhaps they both had been keeping things from each other. 

“There were a hundred of us. A few of us died in the crash and more could have died since I’ve last been back in camp.” Clarke starts, her voice low and solemn. 

“Just one hundred? Are you sure?” Lexa asked, sitting taller with the newly gleaned information.

“I’m positive. We were sent down to test whether earth was survivable or not.”

“Sent down from where?” 

“Space.”

At that Lexa openly scoffs at Clarke. “Do not take me for a fool, Klark.”

“I’m telling you the truth, Lexa. You asked for it so here it is. We’re from a colony in space called the Ark. We’re all descendants of the humans that escaped the planet when it first burned.”

“That was almost three hundred years ago.” Lexa states looking rather befuddled.

“Yes.” Clarke agrees. “And we have been surviving in space thinking everyone on the planet had died all that time ago. That the world was not survivable, a wasteland of radiation.”

“Then why come down now?” 

“Lack of resources.” Clarke states plainly. “It’s a wonder we survived that long out there. It was only a matter of time before air and water and food became a major issue. Plus there was hardly room for everyone. They had strict restrictions on how many children were in a family, how much you consumed, how you behaved. Break those rules and you end up being floated or in the sky box.”

“I don’t understand. Floated?”

“They put you in an air lock and send you into space to die.” 

“For killing someone?” Lexa questions.

“No.” Clarke corrects. “Well yes but no. For stealing extra rations. For being disorderly. For having too many children.”

“And the sky box?”

“A prison meant to hold law breakers under the age of 18.”

“And once they reach 18?”

“We get put on trial but most end up being floated.” 

“We?”

“Yes.” And this is where Clarke is anxious to tell the truth. No one is going to want one hundred “criminals” in their lands. But Clarke didn’t see it that way. They were children that made mistakes in an unforgiving world.

“Are you a prisoner, Klark? A criminal?” Lexa asks softly, almost as if she’s scared of the answer. 

“Yes.”

“And the others with you. They are all criminals as well?”

“Yes, but-”

“And you still wish me to insure the safety of your people when you tell me that you are made up of criminals? Banished from a home in the sky to die?” Lexa's voice is raised by the end of her questions. “Klark I cannot let dangerous people roam free in my lands and hurt my people!”

“They won’t!” Clarke argues. “I promise! Most of them were kids when they got themselves into trouble. They were starving and stole an extra ration! Felt sick and couldn’t go into work! Pissed off the leaders of the community! None of them hurt people. We were all just trying to survive!” Clarke is yelling now, desperate for Lexa to understand her.

“And what about you, Klark?” Lexa’s tone is calm, serious. “What did you do to get yourself in prison?”

“I told the truth.” 

Lexa suddenly reaches forward and grasps the front of the furs draped over Clarke, yanking Clarke towards her. “Do not lie to me, Klark. Now of all times.”

“I’m not.” 

“Swear it, Klark.”

“I swear, I’m not lying to you!” Clarke huffs and tries to pull away from Lexa’s firm grip. 

“Stop pulling, you’ll hurt yourself.” Lexa says as she gently releases Clarke. “The food is ready. Why don’t you tell me where your people are while I dish us up?”

“I don’t know where they are.” Clarke grumbles as she rights the fur and her clothes underneath. “Do you really think I’d be here if I knew where they were? Why do you think you found me out in the middle of nowhere?”

“So you were lost.” The woman states as she ladles a thick stew into wooden bowls for Clarke and herself, laying them on the ground between them before standing to retrieve a loaf of bread for them to tear into. “If I were to accompany you, do you think you could find them again?”

“Maybe.” Clarke thinks. “I’m not sure. Probably only if you got me close enough and I recognized some landmarks.

“I can get you close.” Lexa states matter of factly. “I could probably find them faster without you but I would not like to risk speaking to them without you there to ensure I mean no harm.”

“That’s..”, mildly offensive Clarke thinks. “Ok.”

“Are more of your people, the Ark, going to come down too?” Lexa asks as she tears the loaf in half and hands one to Clarke.

“I’m assuming so.” Clarke picks up her bowl and stew and smells it. It smells amazing. She tries to tuck in immediately but ends up burning her mouth. Lexa tsks at her and grabs the bowl from Clarke’s hands, setting it aside to cool and handing her a cup of water to cool her mouth. 

“Goufa.”

Clarke blushes. “There’s not food like this on the Ark.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s mostly gruel. Everything the body needs to survive but not very satisfying. Slimy and green and nothing anyone looks forward to.” 

“Hmm.” Lexa dips some of her bread in her stew, blows on it and munches down thoughtfully. When the woman wasn’t trying to be intimidating she was rather beautiful. A sharp jawline and delicate features, big eyes and curly hair. And full pouty lips to top it off.

“Who are you?” Clarke blurts out, too focused on the woman beside her to stop herself from asking.

“I already told you. I am Leksa.”

Clarke scoffs and shoves a piece of bread in her mouth, moaning around the delicious taste. “Jesus, does everything taste this good down here?”

A hint of a smile showed on Lexa’s lips and she pushed Clarke’s bowl back over to her. “Most things, yes.”

Clarke forgets her question and begins to readily devour her meal. Sopping up every last drop of the stew with her bread. Her attention is brought back to Lexa when she speaks up. “I am Leksa kom Trikru, Klark, and you and your people have landed in my territory. I was on my way to seek you out when I came across you. I intend to return you to your people and then remove you from my lands.” 

“Re...remove?” Clarke gapes. “You can’t just  _ remove _ us. Where are we supposed to go? I haven’t even seen any other grounders besides you. How can we be encroaching on anyone's land?”

“Grounders?” Lexa questions, her brow quirked.

“Yes. People that remained on the ground when the bombs went off. People that got left behind.”

“I am Trikru, Klark and I do not appreciate the tone you use when you call me otherwise. And it is not my problem where you go.” Lexa said rather scathingly “ _ Your  _ people should have thought about where they were dumping you before they sent you down here to die.”

Rage begins to boil in Clarke’s veins as she watches Lexa calmly gather their dishes and lay them aside. 

“So you’d just let us die then? We have little to no understanding of how to survive down here and you would just push us out and not help us just because we ended up in your territory? What was the point of you even saving me!?”

“The information you have given me has proven to be useful so far, Klark. I’d say that was a good enough reason to save you. As for the survival of your people, my hands are tied. Your landing in my territory has put me in a precarious situation. My position does not allow me to welcome you with open arms.” 

“What do you mean, your position?” Clarke asks desperately. “Who the fuck are you?” 

“Who I am is of little concern to you. What’s important is us removing your people from my land as safely as possible so that no blood need be shed.”

“Blood!?” Clarke stands in defiance, towing over the brunette for a short amount of time before Lexa stands quickly to face off with Clarke, using the couple inches she has on her to glare down at her. Clarke jabs her finger into Lexa's chest. “You promised me you wouldn’t harm my people!” 

“And I intend not to.” Lexa answers calmly, swiping Clarke’s accusatory finger out of the way.

“And refusing to help us? Removing us from your lands isn’t hurting us? We’ll end up dead within the week.” 

“I am sorry to hear that, Klark, but there is nothing I can do about that.”

“Well good luck trying to get us to leave. You’re just one woman. One…” Clarke eyes Lexa from head to toe. “One  _ girl.”  _ Lexa tilts her head at Clarke almost like she’s confused and allows Clarke to storm her way towards the exit. 

“Klark.” She calls out but Clarke pushes the door to the outside open forcefully and is blinded by the sun. Clarke blinks away the spots in her vision until her surroundings come to life. 

She’s in a camp.

Clarke is in a camp surrounded by hundreds of tents and armored men and women milling about. Laughing and performing their duties together. It looks like an army. Lexa is part of a fucking army. Clarke twirls around to see Lexa exiting the space Clarke thought was a hut but now turns out to be a shelter carved into a cliff wall, giving Lexa and Clarke’s back to no one but the view of the whole camp ahead of them. 

“Klark.” Lexa says Clarke’s name again in that infuriatingly attractive way and holds her hands out placatingly. “I am not going to hurt you but I think it’s best if you come back inside.”

“What is this place?” Clarke demands, planting her feet in obstinance. “Who are these people?” Clarke swings her arms out wildly. “And who the fuck are you!?” 

“Heda?” A giant of a man, bearded and greying, approaches the pair of them cautiously, his hand resting on an axe tied to his hip. 

“It’s fine, Gostos.” Lexa says waving him off. “I’ve got it.”

“Heda?” Clarke copies the word the man, Gustus, used to address Lexa. “What’s Heda?”

“Come inside and I will tell you.” Lexa extends her hand out to Clarke palm up. “Come inside and we will discuss a way to save your people.” 

“No. No!” Clarke rejects Lexa’s offer and looks for an escape route. “You’ve lied to me! What is this place?”

“Klark kom Skaikru, you will come with me now into the safety of my shelter or I will be forced to treat you poorly in front of all my gona. I do not wish that.” Lexa pleads, daring a step closer to Clarke, keeping her voice even and quiet. “I wish to treat you with respect and honor. I’d like to see you safe and cause you no harm. But I need you to come back inside with me for this to be possible.”

Clarke looks around and sees the many faces of Lexa’s army beginning to turn their way. Some with looks of concern, others disgust, most wary. Many hands hovering over sheathed weapons. 

“Lexa?” Clarke says the woman’s name, not quite knowing what she’s asking for herself.

Long fingers gently wrap around Clarke’s bicep and slowly turn her towards the dug-out shelter. “Come, Klark. We have much to discuss and I would like to look over your wounds one more time.”

Clarke spares a last glance over her shoulder, trying to count tents as Lexa leads her back into the warm darkness of the dug-out. 

Clarke’s shock at the sheer number of grounders outside Lexa’s shelter quieted Clarke for the time being. She was too lost in thought. Too scared at the trouble she had seemed to get herself and everyone back at the dropship in. 

Lexa paced the small space muttering to herself in her own language while Clarke stood and stared in silence at the coals. It was some time before Lexa quit her pacing to face Clarke and address her.

“The alliance is on the verge of crumbling. A ball of fire carrying Skaikru has landed on my doorstep, and you Klark, seem to be the key. There may be a series of events that could happen, enabling your people to stay in my lands.”

“The key? Key to what? What events?” Clarke asks, unwilling to look away from the coals. 

“Ai laik, Heda, Klark. The commander of the twelve clans. I must protect the coalition at all costs. I cannot afford to put that all on the line to save one hundred of your people. I wish no harm upon you and if what you say is true, I wish no harm upon your people. But you must understand there are greater things at risk here. A war that would easily kill ten times the amount of people that make up your people.” Lexa tugs the sleeves of her jacket down and gives Clarke a piercing look. “You must understand my position.” 

“I might  _ understand your position _ Lexa, but that doesn’t mean I’m ok with you leaving my people to die.”

“That is why you may be the key.” Lexa continues with her pacing. “If you agree to work with me, we may be able to convince the ambassadors that your people intend to live peacefully on Earth. We could carve you out a new territory and make the coalition stronger, given you have something valuable to add as a people. Space tek comes first to mind for me but you could prove yourselves helpful in other ways. If your people have nothing to offer the coalition then I’m afraid giving your people a territory of their own would be impossible. Perhaps your people could integrate themselves into the different clans. But I’m sure that is not your first wish.” At that Lexa gives Clarke a pointed look. “You  _ must  _ find a skill your people possess that mine could profit from.”

Clarke just nods dumbly, trying her best to keep up with the woman in front of her. Someone Clarke had seen as harmless and safe a short time ago. How wrong Clarke realizes she was now. Lexa is a leader. Lexa is  _ the  _ leader. Heda. Commander. And if Clarke was to be found by anyone in the woods, perhaps Lexa was the best bet. Maybe she was the worst.

“Tell me Klark. Do the rest of your people plan on coming down to earth?”

↢ ∞ ↣

It’s hours later and Clarke’s throat is sore from all the questions she had answered. She understands the grounder leader's concern and her need to learn everything she could about the people from the sky but Clarke was a bit irked about how urgent Lexa seemed. The nagging feeling that Lexa was going to use this information against her constantly rang warning bells in Clarke’s mind and she fought all day pushing them back. Clarke had to constantly remind herself that this woman was trying to help, that without the Commander on her side, Clarke’s people could face a worse fate than being banished from the land they crashed on. Something more violent and nightmarish. It wasn’t much of a struggle to trust Lexa besides that. She was level headed, pragmatic, and able to see things from different points of views. She spoke calmly and evenly, her voice smooth and soft for someone who held so much power. The only feature that gave away Lexa’s position of strength were her eyes. They radiated strength and energy and had the power to make Clarke feel as if Lexa was searching Clarke’s own soul with those eyes, picking her apart atom by atom. 

Clarke clasps the ceramic mug Lexa had placed in her hands full of steaming liquid once Clarke’s voice had begun to get scratchy closer to her chest. Trying to draw the remaining heat out of the container and its contents into her. Clarke’s body ached painfully and her eyes were beginning to droop as the most recent lull in conversation allowed her to stare absentmindedly at the embers in the firepit. 

“How are you feeling, Klark?” Lexa asks, breaking the silence. She must have noticed Clarke’s haggard appearance. 

“Tired if I’m being honest with you. Exhausted really. And sore.” Clarke confessed, turning her neck to look at the pensive grounder.

“You have been honest with me all day. No need for you to quit now.” Lexa strands from the stool she had been sitting on and nods toward the bed in the corner of the room. “You should rest now. We can finish our discussion tomorrow. I’m quite eager to hear about this medical equipment that has been able to survive in your mother’s facility.”

Clarke groans as she stands from her own stool, stretching her back and shuffling over to the welcoming bed. The furs were plush and large, the mattress comfortable and decent sized.  _ Oh.  _ “I’ve stolen your bed haven’t I?” Clarke asks shyly. Of course she had. This was obviously the Commanders space, why wouldn’t this be her bed. 

“You haven’t stolen anything, Klark. You are my guest. And you need rest, now sleep.”

“But where will you sleep?” Clarke argues. “I saw all the tents out there. I’m sure I could sleep in one of those. Or outside even if I can just borrow a blanket…”

“No, Klark.” Lexa says sternly. “I worry for your safety outside of this space. My gonas are too weary of you yet.”

“Well then let me sleep on the floor so you can have the bed.” Clarke places her hands on her hips defiantly.

“I will not argue with you about this, Goufa. Get into the bed and rest. I will not sleep for some time yet. I have much to think over.” 

“I’m not a Goapha.” Clarke mumbles as she gives up and falls ungracefully into the welcoming furs. 

“Goufa.” Lexa corrects as she kicks open a large chest revealing an unruly pile of books and rolls of paper, grabbing one of the largest rolls and seating herself at the table in the far corner. 

  
  


“Goufa.” Clarke nearly whispers through her exhaustion.

The Commander huffs out a breath of air in frustration or amusement, Clarke’s too tired to be able to tell, and settles fully at the table. “Sleep, Klark.” She demands and Clarke can’t help but obey. 

↢ ∞ ↣

Rough hands squeezing viciously around Clarke’s throat wake her up. Her eye’s shoot open and she searches for her assailant's face in the dark but the candles have melted down and the last embers lay cold in the fire pit. She tries to cry out but it’s no use. The attacker's grip is strong and the large hands are able to easily encircle the whole of Clarke’s throat, cutting off any sounds Clarke might be able to make. Clarke’s eyes feel like they are bulging out of her skull and she panics, thrashing around on the furs below her trying to reach her assailant with any part of her body. She rakes her fingernails down the thick and muscled arms stealing her life. Blood drips from the scratches down onto Clarke’s face but the grip never falters, only squeezes harder. It’s only when blackness begins to invade the edges of Clarke’s vision that she hears the other scuffle happening somewhere inside the cave. Lexa. They are both going to die tonight and no one will be there to stand up for Clarke’s people. She failed them all and Clarke will never get to say goodbye. Say she’s sorry. 

Clarke’s given up on the hope of ever filling her lungs with oxygen again, her body going limp with exhaustion and vision fading when just that happens. The firm grip around Clarke’s throat is suddenly released with a cry of pain and Clarke gasps air painfully into her lungs. Clarke worries her windpipe is crushed as she does everything in her power to fill her lungs with air. Her chest feels like it’s on fire and Clarke could care less about the sounds of fighting right next to her. All Clarke can focus on is trying to breathe through the pain of her throat and in her chest. 

“Klark!?” Lexa’s voice calls out to her from the dark. “Klark!?” Lexa’s panicked voice lands in Clarke’s ears again before calloused, more delicate hands cup Clarke’s face gently. 

The sounds Clarke’s body makes as she tries to draw in air is terrifying Clarke. The panicked shuffling on the bed and over Clarke proved the sound was scaring Lexa as well. 

“Naikou!” Lexa bellowed over her shoulder, commanding her gona in the language Clarke had learned earlier was called Trigedasleng. If Clarke wasn’t gasping for breath in pure panic she would have laughed at the way Lexa’s voice drastically changed when she turned back to Clarke. She ran soothing thumbs along Clarke’s cheeks, brushing away the stream of tears Clarke hadn’t realized were there. “You are safe now, Klark. You’re safe and my healer is coming to help you and you are going to be fine. I need you to calm down, you won’t get a good breath in like that.” Lexa grabs Clarkes hand and presses it to her own chest. “Breathe with me, Klark. Slow and strong.” 

Lexa’s voice and the feel of her chest slowly filling with air under Clarke’s palm helps to soothe her nerves but does nothing to aid in Clarke’s breathing. Her lungs and throat still feel like they are on fire and Clarke is still struggling to get a decent amount of air in her lungs. 

The room is suddenly burst into light when several lamps are brought in, casting looming shadows over the stone walls. Lexa’s face is still in shadow but Clarke can see her eyes, glossy with a post battle haze, and trails of black liquid dripping down her face. It’s oozing from a cut on her brow and one of her nostrils, her lip seems to be split, the same black liquid slowly making its way out the wound and down the Commander’s chin.

Clarke reaches for Lexa’s face, reaching for the strange substance, a question on her tongue but without the ability to voice it. Lexa gently grabs Clarke’s hand and places it back on her chest. “It’s ok, Klark, just focus on breathing with me. Naikou will be here soon.” Lexa turns back behind her, shouting more orders in Trigedasleng. She sounds harsh and like the commander Lexa had promised Clarke she was. She breathes with Clarke, keeping her emerald eyes on Clarke’s own blue ones until a heavily bearded man and a slight woman rush up to the side of the bed, both slightly winded. Lexa squeezes Clarke’s hand, whispering reassurances to her before she leaves Clarke on the bed to pick up one of the upended chairs to sit on and be looked over by the slender woman while the bearded man begins to inspect the damage done to Clarke’s throat. He gently prods her already bruising neck, mumbling to himself and throwing a comment in Trig over his shoulder to the commander every once in a while before he fully addresses Clarke. “Your throat is badly injured but nothing is broken. I am going to need to…” He pauses searching for the right word in English, his accent much thicker than Lexa’s. 

“Immobilize.” Lexa offers from the corner of the room.

“Mmm.” The healer agrees. “Yes. Immiblize your neck. Do not speak.”

Clarke tries to nod her acknowledgement, receiving shooting pain to her neck instead from the movement. 

“Do not move either.” The healer says lowly as he begins to slowly and with surprisingly gentle hands, stabilize Clarke’s neck. Clarke can see Lexa eye the progress made on her from her corner before standing quickly and making her way out of the cave. Clarke can hear her practically snarling at whoever is out there with her before she begins yelling more orders. 

The slender woman brings a bowl of steaming liquid from the now burning fire and places it next to Clarke’s face, the vapor instantly soothing her airways and making breathing more comfortable for Clarke. “The space will fill with the steam soon enough from the large pot on the fire but until then…” The slender woman offers up, her accent closer to Lexa’s than the bearded man. Clarke manages a thin smile at the woman before staring up at the ceiling above her, trying to focus on getting big lungfuls of air in her chest and dreading the increase of pain she is sure to feel in her neck in the coming days. She sits like this for a while, the slender healer bringing her fresh hot bowls of medicine to steam her airways while the bearded one periodically checks in on the swelling and bruising around Clarke’s throat. 

Lexa sweeps into the dwelling and whispers in hushed tones to the healers before ordering them out, leaving the space empty of souls besides their own. 

Lexa strides over to Clarke’s bedside. “I owe you an apology, Klark. I knew of the dangers bringing you here were and did so otherwise, resulting in harming you further than you already were. I assure you all of the attackers have been taken care of and I have placed strict orders on my gona to not harm you.”

Clarke wishes she could talk right now, that her voice box and throat wanted to cooperate with her wants and let her ask all the questions she had for the grounder commander. She tries to get out a single syllable but the result is an awfully gravely sound and a painful coughing fit that leaves Clarke winded and gasping for air again. 

“Shh.” Lexa shushes, wafting some of the vapers from the bowl even more towards Clarke’s face. “Do not speak. I’m sure you have questions and I will do my best to give you information about the attack so at least your most basic ones may be answered. First, I believe you should take this pain reliever that has been brewing.” Lexa moves from Clarke’s side to pour another steaming liquid into a shallow bowl and brings it to Clarke. Clarke manages poorly with it, spilling most of it down her front in her attempt to drink it with her neck immobilized. 

“Good.” Lexa states, turning to look for something in the space and moving to retrieve it once she spots it, a cloth. She pushes it into Clarke’s hands to dab at her wet face and hands before she takes it back and dips it in the bowl containing the steaming liquid. “We were attacked by assassins tonight.” Lexa starts as she reaches for Clarke’s hands and begins to meticulously wipe away the blood of Clarke’s assailant from her hands and underneath her fingernails. “They did their best to hide which clan they were from, though I have my suspicions about which. This is why I wanted you back inside as quickly as possible today. Only my most trusted advisors knew of your presence making pinning down the origin of an attack easier. Now that many of my gona have seen you though…” She sighs and drops Clarke’s hand, reaching for the other “it could have been any combination of assassins from different tribes.”

Lexa spends the next few minutes focusing on the cleaning of Clarke’s hand before she speaks again. “As soon as you are able we must leave this place. We will go find your dropship and begin peace talks with your people. I’m hoping your voice will be back enough to communicate by the time we get there.” Happy with her work, Lexa releases Clarke’s hand and tosses the cloth onto the nearby stool the healers had been taking turns occupying. She searches out another clean cloth and wets it before bringing it to Clarke’s face, gently cleaning. “Until then, you must rest and trust that I will not allow any more harm to fall on you. As hard as that may sound. I promise I will not let my guard down around you again.” The commander works her jaw back and forwarth and looks away from Clarke’s eyes in shame before sighing and finishing her work cleaning Clarke’s face. 

The Commander’s face is stained with whatever black liquid had been pouring from her wounds and her lack of concern is driving Clarke nuts. Some of her questions were answered, sure, but now Clarke finds herself with even more. Why would people want to assassinate her? Who does Lexa think was behind the attack? Why is what should be blood coming from Lexa’s cuts, black? The lack of communication is frustrating and Clarke wonders if Lexa can write as well as speak English. Before she can try to motion writing with her hands though, Lexa turns from Clarke and heads to the exit calling over her shoulder. “I will keep guard outside while you heal, Klark. Try to get some sleep and I’ll send the healers in to watch over you.”

Clarke wishes she could tell Lexa she’d rather have her watching over her. 

↢ ∞ ↣

It’s been three agonizing days of laying in bed without being able to communicate, and without barely any sightings of the commander. Three days and even though the healers argue that Clarke needs more time being as immobile as possible, Lexa states soberly that “We are out of time.” 

The healers go about removing the stiff wrappings around Clarke’s neck and replacing it with something that will make traveling a bit more comfortable for her. 

“I fear this journey will be even more uncomfortable for you than I thought, Klark. But I have heard some concerning news that makes our departure that much more urgent. You said you were four days into being lost when I found you?”

Clarke can manage a weak nod at this point and Lexa nods curtly back. “Let’s hope you walked in circles then and not in a straight line. Four days of travel is four too many. We must reach your camp as quickly as possible.”

Clarke quirks her eyebrow in question, a sign Lexa had picked up on during the three days Clarke had spent in bed. “I have heard news of another, smaller landing, and an attack.”

Clarke’s eyebrows shoot up her forehead at the news and her eyes go wide.

“I know very little about the details and if anyone from any side were lost. I just know that a bridge was destroyed and some of my people are aware of your people’s presence.” Lexa is milling about the cave, packing items she deems necessary into a worn canvas duffle bag. She is dressed in her full regalia. Light armor that had been salvaged from others but that gave a powerful presence nonetheless. She had donned a pauldron over her left shoulder that draped a luxurious red strap of fabric over her back to drag along behind her heels and slightly over her chest. Her hair was pulled back in her signature braids and knots and the jewelry that Clark had come to learn was a cog was back between her brows. The face paint however was absent. 

“I’ve brought you some clothes better suited for traveling, Klark. I will have Oda help you prepare. We will eat and then we must go.” With that Lexa made her way outside with the packed duffle. 

“You will be fine.” The slim healer, Oda, says as she approaches Clarke. “Heda will protect you.”

They eat in silence after Clarke had changed and been given her own knapsack with an extra change of clothing and whatever else Lexa had ordered the bag be packed with. “You must keep this bag with you at all times. It ensures your survival if you find yourself alone.” Lexa had explained when Clarke had reached in to pull out a loop of wire, eyebrows raised in question when she was first handed the bag. Clarke almost felt like one of the Commanders gona as she sat around a fire pit outside, nursing her soup(she hadn’t been able to swallow much else) and dressed in lightly armored traveling gear. She wore sturdy black pants with reinforced knees, a light and flowing sleeveless top layered with a light cream pullover sweater mended and patched in many places and a leather jacket with sewn on bits of reinforcement acting as a bit of light armor. Clarke’s old boots were tucked into her pack and she wore new black combat boots that supported her ankles better than the worn pair she had from the ark.

“Finish up, Klark. It’s time we leave.” Lexa took Clarke’s mostly empty bowl from her hands and placed it with hers. “Bring your bag.” She orders and makes her way back towards the dug out cave. Clarke follows rather confused, struggling with slinging the bag over her shoulder with the restricted movements of her neck. The strap already dug painfully into her shoulder. Clarke did not have high hopes of making any proper amount of progress during their trek to the dropship. In fact Clarke assumed Lexa would probably be dragging her body into the dropships camp if they had to maintain the level of urgency Lexa demanded and Clarke could not see that ending well for anyone. Sure she could breathe easier but her throat and neck constantly ached and burned and that was without any physical exertion. Following the Commander of the twelve clans for potentially four days through the thick underbrush of the forest was going to be nothing less than grueling. 

They make it back to the shelter and once again Clarke’s eyebrows are raised in question when Lexa turns back to check on her progress. 

“You will see.” She says, looking Clarke up and down. “Give me your bag.” She commands, holding out an open hand. “I would have carried it from the fire but I can’t show you any favoritism in front of my gona.”

Clarke hesitates, not wanting to fully divulge how uncomfortable she already was. Lexa just twitches her fingers, impatiently in response. “Don’t start acting tough now, Goufa. I can see the way the weight strains your neck. If we are going to make this journey quickly, we must watch over your health.” She doesn’t wait for Clarke to hand over the bag but instead pulls it off of Clarke’s shoulder herself. Stopping at the bed and stuffing the comfortable sleep clothes Clarke had been wearing on top of the already packed bag. 

“Follow me.” Lexa states, moving back into the bathing room. She makes her way into the far corner before she starts moving a hutch containing soaps and medicines away from the wall, revealing a narrow cut out leading into darkness. “It is safer if no one sees us leaving camp.” Lexa explains, grabbing Clarke’s hand and dragging her into the darkness. They have to turn sideways to fit, Lexa holding Clarke’s pack out against her side. They soon move far enough into the small space that they are enveloped by total darkness and Clarke’s steps stutter with a sudden onslaught of claustrophobia. Lexa gives Clarke’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t worry, Klark. Focus on your breathing and your steps. You will see the light of the exit soon.”

Clarke focuses on matching her breathing with the commanders, shuffling her feet sideways at a quick pace in order to keep up. They must go like this for some five minutes until a beam of light appears in the distance after they make another turn in the dark. Clarke lets out a deep sigh of relief and the commander catches a chuckle before it flees her mouth, instead giving Clarke’s hand another reassuring squeeze. “We must move quickly once we reach the exit, Klark. I need you to trust me and do as I say without hesitation. I fear for your safety if a spy were to see us leaving with such a small guard. Such a small number allows us to move quickly but it offers a limited amount of protection.’’ 

Clarke offers a squeeze from her own hand in understanding and hates the fact that her voice still hasn’t returned to her. She has so many questions. Most unanswered by the commander even though the woman has done her best to fill Clarke in. It seems Lexa finds only the most prudent information worth telling Clarke. Either because she doesn’t have the time and patience to answer the absurd amount of questions the woman knows Clarke has or she is intentionally withholding information. Clarke might trust that the commander doesn’t want her dead but she is also aware of how intentions could change once they reach the dropship. The fact that the hundred had managed to collapse a bridge and possibly injure or kill some of Lexa’s people already puts Clarke in a precarious position. And if Clarke’s people refuse to work with the commander at all. What position does that put Clarke in then? She would cease to be useful to the commander, what good would keeping her alive then be if not to keep her as some pet or perhaps a bargaining chip. Though Clarke can’t see her people, on the ground or in the sky, being willing to give up much for the safe return of Clarke. 

These thoughts keep Clarke’s mind occupied for the remainder of the journey through the cramped tunnel and she is pulled from her thoughts by the sudden light, blinding her vision. Clarke throws up her empty hand to block the light and try to blink some of her vision back into existence, stopping outside the mouth of the cave only to be tugged along by the commander’s hand still holding hers.

“No time to stop, Goufa.” Lexa chides pushing a nearly blinded Clarke ahead of her until Clarke runs full bodily into a warm and earthy smelling wall. She throws her hands up against the now moving wall and spits the unpleasant musky smell from her mouth. The jolt sends pangs of pain down Clarke’s neck. She can’t even hiss in frustration at being shoved embarrassingly into what Clarke assumes is a living wall by the sound of annoyance it makes. 

“Klark.” Lexa sighs. “What are you doing? Get on the horse.” 

Clarke’s vision finally comes back to her and she jumps back in fear. Lexa is busy stuffing Clarke’s knapsack into a saddle bag hanging off the sides of a giant black beast. It’s a horse. Terrifyingly tall and huffing at Clarke like she just offended it’s very being. Clarke had only seen horses in books and old movies on the ark. She knew they were large but standing next to one in person was nothing like Clarke could have ever imagined. 

Once Clarke gets over its size she can appreciate its beauty. The horse stands powerful and proud with a shining coat and flowing mane. It starts to paw the ground anxiously, eyeing Clarke and shifting its weight to bump its hip against Lexa, securing the last strap of the saddle bag. The bump draws Lexa’s focus from her job and she sends Clarke a threatening look. 

“Your fear is making her skittish, Goufa. Climb on without hesitation and with confidence.” Lexa strides quickly over a still backing up Clarke and pulls her by the wrist over to the animal. She steps behind Clarke, one hand grabbing her left wrist, the other grips Clarke’s waist guiding her with a firm hand until Clarke is close enough to the horse that she can smell it again, earthy and musky and warm. Lexa guides both their hands to the horses flank, spreading Clarke’s hand flat along the beautiful creature. “Her name is Willa and she is strong and brave. She will carry us most of this journey but you must get on her first.” Lexa pushes, drawing Clarke out of her moment of awe at the feel of the creature under her fingertips. She moves Clarke’s hand from the animal's side to the height of Clarke’s reach on the saddle. “Hold firm. Place your left foot in the stirrup and pull yourself up.” Lexa uses her left knee to nudge the back of Clarke’s leg, putting her in motion. She helps push Clarke up, urging her right leg to swing over the saddle until Clarke miraculously finds herself sitting on top of Willa. 

Lexa swats Clarke’s foot out of the stirrup and replaces it with her own. Pulling herself up gracefully behind Clarke and bracketing Clarke with her arms, reaching for the reins and clicking her tongue at Willa, sending them off at a quick trot into the forest. The jostling of Willa underneath Clarke set’s her neck off with jolts of electric pain every step the horse takes. She finds herself clenched tightly and stiffly holding onto the horn of the saddle in her attempt to move as little as possible. A cold sweat starts to form on her skin and they couldn’t have been riding for more than twenty minutes. 

“Klark.” Lexa calls out to her. “Do not fight against the movements of Willa. Are you in pain?”

Clarke gives a quick nod and Lexa tsks in her ear. “Goufa.” She chides as she brings Willa to a stop. “Come here.” She says gently, wrapping her arms around Clarke’s middle, pulling her further back into the saddle and flush against Lexa’s front. She places her hands on Clarke’s hips and urges Willa into a slow walk with a quick click of her tongue. “Feel her move underneath you?” Clarke nods, feeling the horse underneath her sway back and forwarth as well as Lexa’s body behind her, her hips swaying with the movement, rocking against Clarke’s. The feeling of the Commander so close behind her, rocking her hips against her makes Clarke’s face heat up with an uncontrollable blush. “Allow your hips to move with Willa, absorb the movement and allow yourself to rock with her.” Lexa’s hands on her waist urge Clarke’s own to move in time with hers behind her. 

They move along slowly through the woods, rocking gently with the movements of Willa beneath them in silence. Lexa must sense Clarke’s gain in confidence and comfort because she urges Willa to pick up their pace again and Clarke holds her breath and scrunches her eyes closed, waiting for the jarring pain in her neck. Lexa holds Clarke impossibly closer to herself and guides Clarke’s body with her own. When no pain wracks Clarke’s body, she tentatively opens her eyes to take in the woods passing by quickly. 

“Good, Clarke.” Lexa’s voice cracks in Clarke’s ear and she clears her throat, removing her hands from Clarke’s body to drape them on the horn between Clarke’s legs to hold loosely onto the reins. They fall into silence and Clarke spends the time studying the Commander’s hands resting in front of her, dangerously close to the apex of her thighs. She wishes she had a sketchpad to pass the time to capture the beauty of Lexa’s lean fingers. Long and strong, with scarred knuckles and calloused palms. They are beautiful and Clarke has to fight the urge to reach out and touch them.

Lexa pulls Willa to a stop some half an hour later in a non assuming clearing. Clarke feels her straighten her posture behind her and she does the same, searching the surrounding woods for whatever made Lexa stall their movements. Out of the shadows, armored warriors stalk towards them, pulling mounts of their own behind them. Clarke sucks a deep breath in in fear and falls back bodily into Lexa in alarm. “It is ok, Klark.” Lexa whispers in her ear. Squeezing her arms together around Clarke reassuringly without removing her hands from the reins or the horn of the saddle. A subtle act of comfort not meant to be seen by others. “These are my gona, you are safe. I hand picked them for this journey.” 

Clarke counts ten in total, all dressed similarly to Lexa and herself in light armor and travel wear. They assemble quietly around their commander, all standing at attention next to their horses waiting for direction. 

The commander addresses them in Trig from behind Clarke, her voice confident and strong. The warriors nod in understanding and all move to mount their horses. Lexa clicks her tongue and leads the troop into the woods. They ride for the next few hours mostly in silence. Clarke can occasionally hear a whispered conversation from the gona behind them and sometimes Lexa will eavesdrop with her, translating the bit of gossip she can pick up. Clarke is reminded of their closeness when Lexa will occasionally chuckle behind Clarke, her warm chest expanding against Clarke’s back, as she listens to her gona’s quiet conversation. 

“They are teasing each other about their ability to speak to the opposite sex.” Lexa informs Clarke under her breath. “Apparently one of them falls into a stutter every time a pretty woman approaches them.” Lexa chuckles again and Clarke chuckles soundlessly with her. She can’t get the thought out of her head that she finds herself speechless in front of a beautiful woman as well. 

“We are approaching where I found you.” Lexa says to Clarke. Drawing her from her thoughts some time later. “We will stop to rest the horses and eat and will begin to track your progress through the forest back to your dropship.” Clarke nods her head in understanding. 

They pull up alongside the familiar creek Clarke had drank from and Lexa drops down from Willa gracefully. She turns towards Clarke and holds her hands up to Clarke. “Come, Klark. I won’t let you fall. Your legs might be sore so be prepared when you climb down.” She pulls on Clarke’s wrist, urging her off Willa. The whole thing is very awkward and Clarke almost falls face first into the commander’s chest. Once Clarke is righted, she tries to save herself some dignity by walking proudly away from the smirking commander only to take one step before her legs turn to jelly and she feels herself being caught under the armpits. 

“I told you.” Lexa chuckles as she rights Clarke again. She stands behind Clarke, her hands hovering behind her in case her legs cease to function again. Clarke turns her head the best she can to glare at Lexa but doesn’t move, too afraid she’ll fall on her face. 

“Give it time, your legs will wake up. Here.” Lexa nudges Clarke closer to Willa and urges her hands up to the horse's face, letting Clarke lean some of her weight on Willa while disguising it as her petting the horse. “Show your appreciation to Willa for carrying us and by the time she is sick of your affection, your legs will be more awake.”

Clarke scratches the horses wide cheeks and raises her eyebrows at Lexa when the horse nuzzles into her hands and closes her eyes in contentment.

“I must go address my gona. Feel free to do as you please.” Lexa says as she begins to walk towards her gathered warriors until she seems to change her mind and turns back to Clarke. “Don’t wander off.” She warns and turns back before stalling again and turning to Clarke one more time. “And  _ do not  _ go walking through the bitter bramble.” Lexa points to the offending growth further down the creek bed. 

Clarke just blushes and tries to hide it by dipping her chin and letting her hair cover her face. She busies herself with bonding with Willa, enjoying how the fierce looking creature melts under her touch, nuzzling into Clarke and urging her for more pats. 

“Klark.” Lexa calls from the group of gona sitting on various surfaces and eating a quick meal. “You’ve surpassed bonding and are just spoiling Willa now. Come eat.”

By now Clarke has operation over her legs again, although they still feel a bit jelly-ish and she makes her way slowly to the commander holding out a tin mug full of broth. 

“I will make sure to feed you a more substantial meal tonight but it’s hard to eat a liquid diet while traveling.”

Clarke nods in understanding and sips at the room temp liquid. It’s not very satisfying but it will do the job until her throat is mended. Still better than the gruel up in the ark. Lexa chews thoughtfully on some dried food of some sort before she gives a sharp command in Trig and the warriors quickly disperse. Clarke looks to Lexa for direction but instead she continues to thoughtfully chew her quick lunch. Clarke shuffles awkwardly in hopes of drawing the commanders attention. 

“Calm, Klark. We will find your people soon.” Lexa says, still staring off into the woods. “One of my gona was scouting the surrounding area and has already picked up your trail. He didn’t have to follow it long before finding you had doubled back over your previous trail. If that’s how you moved through these woods there is hope that we are closer to your camp than you might think.” 

Clarke’s cheeks flush again in embarrassment. She couldn’t even make her way through a forest properly. 

“I think it’s best we-” Lexa’s thought is cut off by a sonic boom cracking through the atmosphere causing the horses to startle and all of the forest to come to life. Birds take flight and fill the air with the sound of their wings. Adding to the roaring noise that came immediately after the boom. The commander stands and cranes her neck working to see through the dense trees and up at the sky in the direction of the roar. Clarkes heart drops. She knows that sound. It’s the same sound that drowned her mind as she plummeted down to earth in the dropship. It must be written all over her face because Lexa jumps into action once she turns to see the look on Clarke’s face. She yells in Trigedasleng over the roar in the sky at her gona as a groaning, flaming mountain of a ship and chunks of burning debris finally passes by overhead. Changing the color of the sky from a mellow wistful blue to a burning red, ridding the world of any sound but the sound of its journey through the sky. The gona all do their best to soothe and climb onto their startled horses, chasing after the falling ship. 

“Klark!” Lexa yells. Running her way towards Willa and pulling her down by the reins from her rearing up. Willa drops her front hooves heavily back down to the ground, spraying clumps of earth and huffs in distress.

Clarke makes her way on shaking legs over to the frazzled horse and it’s rider. Lexa looks at Clarke, confliction covering her features. She seems to make up her mind as she reaches into one of the saddles and tosses the bag she had packed for Clarke at her feet. “I can’t afford the time it would take to bring you with me.” She offers, her features becoming unreadable. “Return to your people.” She urges as she climbs onto Willa, turning the horse in the way of the falling ship and turning to look back at Clarke. She points to the right of Clarke. “Your tracks were found there.” Lexa offers Clarke a look of apology and a curt nod before spurring Willa forward, charging into the forest, kicking up dirt behind her, her red sash flowing behind her. 

↢ ∞ ↣

Clarke is alone. Alone and ironically exactly where this whole mess had started. She can’t even cry out in frustration, her voice taken from her by an assassin as well as her mobility. Dropping in defeat on the forest floor Clarke lets silent tears fall down her face. The sound of the falling ship finally hitting the earth rattles Clarke further and she silently sobs into her hands. The commander of the twelve clans had all of her secrets, knew everything she needed to know in order to hurt her people, and their separation had effectively ruined any chance Clarke had to argue for her people and sway the commanders mind. Not that she would be able to since she couldn’t even speak. 

The sound of approaching hooves were drowned out by the ringing in Clarke’s ears and her overwhelming emotions. Booted feet hit the ground next to Clarke and move swiftly to her side and still Clarke doesn’t notice. The stranger crouches next to Clarke’s tear wracked form and waits patiently for Clarke to notice them. They give up soon enough and reach for Clarke’s chin, tilting her head up gently towards their face with calloused fingers. Tears blur Clarke’s vision but the whispered, “Goufa”, is unmistakable and Clarke lunges at the returned commander burying her face in her neck and sucking in halting lungfuls of air through tears of relief. Lexa wraps her arms around Clarke and hauls her up to her feet, keeping a steadying hand on Clarke’s waste as she bends to pick up the untouched rucksack. 

“Forgive me, Klark. I’m worried for me people and acted brashly.” She pulls Clarke the few steps to Willa, shoves Clarke’s bag back into the saddle bag and climbs up onto Willa. She reaches her hand down to Clarke and hauls her up in front of her. Lexa grabs the reins with one hand and wraps her other arm around Clarke protectively. “I’m afraid we must abandon our current goal and move in great haste towards a new one.” She then turns Willa harshly and sets her off running into the woods. 

They ride hard until Willa needs a break and even then they walk alongside her, Lexa unwilling to stop any forward movement. Clarke’s body is sore from the hard riding and her neck is spasming with pain but the commander is deathly silent and Clarke is unwilling to show any weakness or reason that she should be left behind. Again. The only sign that Lexa is aware of Clarke’s condition is when they climb back on Willa after a couple hours of walking and she pulls Clarke so tightly against her that Lexa’s body is completely supporting Clarke’s back, holding her upright, her left arm firmly wrapped around her front, holding her in place. 

The sun falls soon after and temperatures drop. As much as Lexa’s warmth against Clarke’s back helps she still finds herself shivering and her neck spasming in pain even more, so much so that she has a hard time hiding her gasps of pain from the commander. Lexa’s hand around Clarke’s stomach disappears and Clarke immediately misses the warmth, the thought causing her brows to crease in concern. Soon after though the red of the Commanders sash is draped over Clarke’s lap and Lexa leans back to reach into a saddle bag producing a large woolen traveling cloak. She slips in on her own shoulders and pulls it forward to wrap around Clarke, cocooning them within its protection. She pulls Clarke back snuggly to her front again and returns her focus to riding through the darkening forest. 

Clarke isn’t sure when she fell asleep against the commander’s chest but she’s assuming it couldn’t have been long because the forest still had a dull blue glow to it, not completely dark yet. She can’t find it in herself to lift her head from Lexa’s chest however. The warmth their bodies had trapped under the cloak and Willa’s constant movement was too comforting to give up yet. Lexa slows Willa’s pace soon enough and squeezes her arm around Clarke, jostling her to attention. “We must stop for the night, Klark. Willa needs to rest and I believe you must as well. I’m sure your neck must be hurting you.” 

Clarke shrugs her shoulders nonchalantly, playing off the amount of pain she was in. Satisfied with a good stopping point, Lexa drops down from Willa’s saddle and gently slides Clarke’s aching body off and into her arms. It seems Clarke didn’t have to express her pains to Lexa. The woman already knew. Lexa gently carries Clarke to a large log, the remnants of a long fallen ancient tree. She places her down so she can rest her back against it and removes the cloak from her shoulders, draping it over Clarke. 

“Stay warm.” Lexa says, moving around the surrounding area, creating a small fire pit in front of Clarke and lighting a fire quickly. She drops a pile of dry limbs she had collected next to Clarke. 

“Keep adding these to the fire when necessary.” She instructs. “I need to tend to Willa.” 

Clarke nods and hunkers into the cloak, soaking up the remaining warmth that was left from their combined body heat. Clarke manages to keep the fire alive until Lexa drops Willa’s sadde next to her and begins rifling through the bags, removing several wrapped packages. She sets to pulling out a light cooking pot and pours water from a skin into it and placing it on the edge of the fire. Standing, Lexa makes her way into the forest and disappears for some fifteen minutes before she returns with two fists full of foliage. She gets to work ripping some of the plants into smaller segments and throwing them in the now bubbling water, setting the rest aside. 

“How is your pain?” She turns to ask Clarke. 

Clarke lifts a shoulder non commitedly and looks away from the commander, ashamed of her weakness. 

“Now is not the time to start lying to me, Goufa. We have a long road ahead of us.” 

Clarke points to her throat in frustration, throwing her arms in the air and huffs in anger and in then pain. Even if she wanted to tell Lexa the pain she was in she wouldn’t be able to.

Lexa tsks and moves away from Clarke, moving back to the saddle bags and pulling Clarke’s designated bag from within, places it next to Clarke and instructs her to unpack it while she adds other items to the contents of the pot. Lexa takes over for Clarke when she is moving too slow and pulls out two stoppered vials as well as a leather pouch. 

“Scoot forward.” Lexa says, settling herself behind Clarke before she reaches around Clarke’s front to remove her cloak as well as sliding off her leather jacket. She grabs something from the pouch and pushes it into Clarke’s hand, it’s a gnarled and pounded root. “Chew this, it will help with the pain.” 

Clarke nods and places it in her mouth, grimacing at the bitter taste but chews dutifully. Anything to make her hurt less. Lexa goes about gently unwrapping Clarkes neck and Clarke sighs in relief at the release when it’s gone. 

“This oil,” Lexa holds up one of the vials “will help with the pain in your muscles. May I rub some on your neck and back?” 

Clarke nods enthusiastically and the lack of support on her neck allows her more movement than she is used to and she may have overdone it a bit because a shooting pain moves from her neck down to her tailbone and she actually manages a hiss of pain. 

“Goufa.” Lexa chides and pours the oil on her hands, rubbing her palms together to warm it before gently coating Clarke’s neck in it generously. She then moves to Clarke’s shoulders where she dips her hands under the collar of Clarke’s sweater and applies more pressure. It feels incredible and Clarke is thankful she can’t make any noises right now, certain she would have let out a filthy moan of pleasure if she could. Lexa works on Clarke’s shoulders for some time before she pours more oil on her hands and moves them under the hem of Clarke’s clothing. Clarke jumps at the unexpected touch but Lexa just chuckles and continues to rub the oils along Clarke’s lower back. She works her fingers along Clarke’s spine from the point she had left off on Clarke’s upper back slowly down to just below the waist of Clarke’s pants. 

Clarke’s face heats and butterflies take root in her belly at the touch. She knows it’s for pain relief and that the commander doesn’t mean it to be sexual but Clarke can’t help the way her body reacts to the beautiful woman taking care of her. If Lexa knew the feelings she was drawing from Clarke she’s sure she would pull her hands away quickly as if she had just touched hot coals. 

It ends much too quickly for Clarke’s liking and Lexa gently begins to wrap Clarke’s neck back up and help her to carefully put her jacket and the cloak back on. She clears her throat when the process is finished and opens her mouth to speak but stops. Instead the brunette just gently scootches Clarke back against the tree. Clarke’s eyes already drooping. 

“Now rest, Klark. I’ll wake you if you fall asleep when the food is ready.”

Clarke does fall asleep. And when she wakes up, the commander's face is close to hers and the fire has died down to glowing red embers. “The food is ready and I’ve erected the tent. I apologize for the size but given the temperature and your condition, I think it’s best we keep you as warm as possible.”

Clarke nods and graciously accepts the offered mug full of stew. By now she knows to wait till it’s cool before she tries to eat it and Lexa gives her a knowing smirk. 

“Is your neck feeling any better?” Lexa asks as she blows on her own mug of food. 

Clarke gives her a thumbs up and rotates her shoulders testing them. The soreness is still there but it’s no longer sharp. She wishes she could just say thank you. That she had a piece of paper to write to Lexa. As it were, she was still unable to communicate the want and hadn’t had much time to before when they were in camp, Clarke too busy healing and sleeping from the teas the healers had given her and Lexa too busy...well, being the commander Clarke guesses. Whatever that entailed. Maybe there was still time. 

They eat their meals in silence. Clarke unable to offer anything towards conversation and Lexa falling into what Clarke had learned was her main way of being, quiet and pensive. Willa mills about the camp grazing, her coat back to shining after Lexa had given it a thorough bushing while Clarke slept. Lexa packs away their mugs and pan and offers her a hand up. 

“Come, Klark. We need as much rest as we can get.” She pulls Clarke up slowly and gently and leads her through the dark to a tattered canvas tent. Lexa holds the tent flap open for Clarke to crawl through before following behind. “I tried to pad it out for your neck.” Lexa states shyly. Climbing into one of the bedrolls. Clarke looks under her bedroll to see layers of green pine branches layered to create something like a mattress for her. Clarke climbs in and is surprised by the comfort of it all. The softness of her bed, the delightful pine smell filling the tent and Lexa’s presence making Clarke feel safe and secure. She turns to face Lexa, already lying on her back with her eyes closed and reaches out a tentative hand to get her attention. She squeezes Lexa’s bicep softly and see’s her eyes pop open in the dark. 

“Yes, Klark?” Lexa questions. Her voice revealing her own exhaustion.

Clarke leans into Lexa’s space to make sure she can see her face and mouths a ‘thank you’ to the woman who had been working so hard to keep Clarke alive and comfortable the past days. Someone who could very well turn out to be her enemy. Lexa’s eyes scan Clarke’s face, her expression unreadable as she reaches up to softly cup Clarke’s face and then look meaningfully in her eyes. Clarke can feel her cheeks heat up with a blush at the touch and is thankful that it’s dark in the tent. 

“I do not know what we’ll find when we get to the crash site, Klark. I can not guarantee peace between our people, but I need you to know that I will do my best to protect you if we cannot find that peace.” 

Clarke wishes she could talk for the millionth time since the assassination attempt. Wishes she could ask Lexa why she would say such a thing, feel so strongly about protecting Clarke when they had only just met. Tell her how grateful she is that Lexa found her in these woods. But she can’t. So she reaches up to hold Lexa’s hand against her face as she moves her bedroll closer until she can lay on her side within reach of the woman beside her. Lexa watches her the whole while, silent and tentative until she seems to accept that Clarke just needs to express some kind of gratitude towards her. So she closes her eyes, breathes deeply and whispers, “Goodnight, Klark” as she moves her hand to tangle into the hair behind Clarke’s ear, gently scratching. 

↢ ∞ ↣

Clarke woke up in the middle of the night, overheated to the point where there was a layer of sweat coating her body. She hadn’t ever recalled feeling so overheated during her time on the Arc. Maybe when she had been sick, or had been exercising in the rec room but nothing like this. A heady, stifling heat that even the air in the tent was thick with. It pulled anxiety out of Clarke’s core and she struggled with the urge to frantically kick out of her bedroll and tear off her clothes. She didn’t want to wake up Lexa however and went about the task of slowly pulling the bedroll down from around her chin and shoulders. Clarke didn’t get the offending bedding far before it was met with resistance just under her breasts. It was only when said resistance held more firm and made its presence known around Clarke’s waist did she realize why she was as overheated as she was. Lexa was tucked in tightly behind Clarke, her arm draped around her waist and holding her even closer to Lexa’s front. 

Hot breath puffed in Clarke’s ear in disagreement when Clarke tried to gently wiggle from the commanders grasp. As much as Clarke would probably enjoy being wrapped up in Lexa’s warmth, this seemed accidental and the awkwardness Clarke felt at being the only cognizant party moved her to try and extract herself as sneakily as possible. That and Clarke still felt like she could pass out from the heat at any moment. Slowly, Clarke did her best to pull her arms free of the bedroll and peel it down to where Lexa’s arms held it firmly in place. Once the bedroll reached Lexa’s arm, she just clamped her arm tighter around Clarke’s waist, refusing to let any fabric make its way past. 

Taking a calming breath from the humid air around her, Clarke reached for the offending limb, gently wrapping around Lexa’s wrist in order to move her arm. If avoiding any sort of awkwardness was Clarke’s main concern, grabbing the wrist of a trained warrior in her sleep was the biggest mistake she could make. Clarke suddenly found herself pushed on her back, Lexa’s lithe form pressing her hard into the pine boroughs beneath her and the warm press of metal held close to skin pressed against her throat. The best Clarke could manage was a squeak of surprise before Lexa jerkily removed herself from the threatening position. 

“Clarke.” Her sleep-cracked voice ground out. “I’m sorry.” 

Clarke wished more than ever she could talk now. Instead she opens her mouth, begging for a voice and ends up croaking again. She reaches up to feel at her thankfully undamaged neck, the last thing she needs is another fucking neck wound. Clarke waves her hands at the commander and widens her eye’s trying her best to convey no harm no foul.

“Please, Clarke.” Lexa waves any attempt at communication away and moves towards Clarke in the dim light, examining her neck. “Please accept my apology, I have not slept with someone so near in quite some time. I find the experience disorientating.”

Clarke just barely managed to croak out a pitiful sigh while she placed a hopefully calming hand on Lexa’s forearm while Lexa continued to check Clarke’s wrappings and neck for any injury. She does her best to reassure Lexa of her health, squeezing gently when the touch is not rejected. 

“I’m glad you aren’t hurt, Clarke. Regardless.” Lexa says, pulling away. “I’ll sleep outside the tent and keep watch while you rest.” 

Clarke shakes her head adamantly, wishing for Lexa to stay in the tent, reaching out to still the woman's retreating form. 

“Yes, Clarke.” Lexa argues as she hastily gathers her bedroll and pulls open the opening of the tent providing Clarke with the much needed gust of fresh air in the humid space. “Sleep well, Goufa.” She says as she slips out, closing the tent behind her and leaving Clarke no room to argue. 

When Clarke wakes in the morning, it’s curled up in the bottom of her bedroll, her cold extremities pulled up to her chest in a desperate chase of warmth. She finds Lexa just outside the tent leaned against a tree, the bedroll pulled up to her chin but her eyes wide awake, watching the surrounding woods quietly, the morning dew clinging to the exposed curls of her hair and lashes. 

↢ ∞ ↣

They make worse time the next day. Clarke’s body is so sore that no matter how hard she tries to hide it, Lexa can tell. She slows Willa and they rock together slowly as they share the saddle while Willa slowly picks her way through the woods. Strong arms hold Clarke tight to Lexa’s body, doing their best to keep Clarke from having to use much of her already exhausted muscles. It’s quiet in the forest with just the sounds of Willa’s carefully placed hooves and Lexa’s breath keeping pace in Clarke’s ear. Sometimes a bird will call out their presence or a small creature will skitter away in the underbrush, surprised by their presence. It’s all very soothing to Clarke but she can still feel the anxiety rolling off of the commander pressed closely behind her. The need to reach the crash site and her potentially injured or threatened people. People confused and scared and possibly angry. Things Clarke’s people are sure to be feeling, possibly tenfold depending on the situation. Depending on if any of them even survived the rough landing. 

“Klark.” Lexa whispers. “I can feel you stiffening, relax.”

Clarke can manage a gravely grumble today and she does so in response, trying her best to collapse into the body behind her. 

“I wish I knew what you were thinking.” Lexa admits softly, bringing an arm up in front of Clarke to wrap gently around her waist. 

The act make’s Clarke swallow hard, visions of the night previous and Lexa’s body tucked closely to hers in sleep, an arm draped over her waist. A position not too different from the one they were in now.

Clarke wishes she could answer. Wishes she could tell Lexa she was worrying about both of their people. How they must be feeling. Wondering how that’s making Lexa feel. She tries desperately to create noise but instead a gravely cough comes out. Lexa squeezes her reassuringly. 

Lexa hums and sits in silence for a moment. “I imagine you feel a general sense of worry. I admit I do too.” 

Clarke suddenly feels the urge to jump off Willa. She was of no help to their people or Lexa in the state she was in. She wants to force Lexa on without her and to continue on foot herself or better yet, curl into the base of a giant tree and sob for herself and her people.. The idea sounds so right in that moment that Clarke starts to move off of their mount only to be derailed by a firm squeeze around her waist.

“No, Clarke.” 

Clarke pushes against the Commander’s firm grip and desperately tries to topple off of Willa. 

“No.” Lexa argues. “If we want peace, this is something we must do together. Our people need to see a united leadership.” 

Clarke manages a sigh and a shrug of her shoulders, not entirely convinced. 

“We will deal with whatever problems may arise as they do so. Until then our first worry must be to safely reach our people. I trust my gona’s to act appropriately and the clan leaders as well until we reach them. They know I carry the sky prissa with me.” 

Clarke turns to face Lexa, a question in her eyes. 

“Sky princess.” Lexa divulges. “Royalty. A leader.” 

Clarke scoffs as she faces forward again, she’s no princes. She’s no leader.

“Oh I know you aren’t one, Goufa.” Lexa says with a smile in her voice. “But from what I have heard from my people. They believe you to be. We will use this to our advantage.” 

Clarke just shakes her head skeptically. 

“You just might find yourself to be useful yet, Klark kom Skaikru.” Lexa teases before receiving a gentle elbowing in the ribs. The action draws a quick laugh from the commander and Clarke twists in the saddle quickly, desperate to catch a glimpse of the look on Lexa’s face while she fills the air with that beautiful noise. But by the time Clarke has swung around, Lexa has schooled her features into a blank stare. The only hint of mirth is the red tint taking over her high cheekbones. 

They don’t make it much more than an hour before Clarke’s back cramps up and if it weren’t for the line of painfully spasming muscles along Clarke’s spine she would have rejoiced at the fact that she cried out audibly in pain. 

Lexa acts quickly, dropping from the horse and pulling Clarke down into her arms. She lays Clarke on her back and runs her hands gently down Clarke’s arms. “What’s hurting you, Clarke?” She asks calmly, watching the way Clarke’s back arches in pain. 

Clarke moans and rolls to her stomach reaching behind herself at her back, desperate to convey the intense cramping of her back.

“Is your back in spasm?” Lexa asks, moving her hands to where Clarke’s fingers are desperately reaching. 

Clarke groans out in agreement and pain, nodding her head before she feels the commander’s strong fingers digging into her clenched muscles. The pain is intense but Clarke knows it will end in relief. 

“I’m sorry, Clarke.” Lexa coos, her voice soft but her hands firm on Clarke’s back. “The cramping will be over soon and we will rest.”

Clarke gasps in pain at a particularly painful press of Lexa’s fingers. “Breathe, Clarke.” Lexa urges into her ear and Clarke tries her best to relax and breathe evenly under Lexa’s strong hands. Agonizing moments pass before her cramping finally passes and Clarke rolls onto her back on the ground. Her chest heaving being able to finally focus fully on filling her lungs instead of the pain in her back. She reaches out for the woman kneeling next to her, gripping her hands and nodding her head thankfully. 

Lexa manages a smirk back before standing and moving to shuffle through Willa’s saddle bag. She returns with the same root and oil from the night previous, ripping off a chunk of root and handing it to Clarke before urging her back onto her stomach. The smell of decomposing leaves and rich earth fills Clarke’s nose as Lexa snakes her oil covered hands underneath Clarke’s traveling clothes, applying a thick layer over the whole of her back. 

“You know.” She starts as she moves to apply the soothing oils on Clarke’s neck and shoulders just for added measure. “This might not have been the most pleasant way to get your voice back but I believe I heard you groan a word I thought only my most grissled warriors used while playing their games with each other in the barracks.” 

Clarke scoffs and scowls back at the commander. She tests the very word in question only to croak embarrassingly under green, watchful eyes. 

“That’s alright, Clarke.” Lexa soothes, wiping the remaining oils on the front of her trousers. “It’s still progress. We must still practice patience it seems.”

Clarke can’t help but roll her eyes, frustrated in her slow healing. 

“Come, Goufa.” Lexa orders, heading back towards Willa. “If I’m correct, one more hour of riding will bring us to a proper river crossing. We will all be able to enjoy the cool water and set camp for the day. Do you think you can ride for another hour?”

Clarke could cry in thanks. Instead she nods fervently and hurriedly makes her way to Willa, shaking out her sore limbs in promises of soothing cool waters. She chooses to ignore Lexa chuckling as she follows. 

The hour between then and the river Clarke spends praying to all the gods she’s aware of that her sore muscles will not cramp up again. She leans bodily into Lexa behind her, hoping if she gives up all functions that the commander will be able to manipulate it enough to get them to the river relatively pain free. Clarke is still tremendously sore by the time they reach the river but she managed to escape cramp free. Lexa however is rather red faced when she finally pulls Clarke down from the saddle. She doesn’t spend too long making sure Clarke is ok and settled before she crashes into the bushes surrounding the riverbank and calling over her shoulder for Clarke to follow her to the river when she is ready. 

When Clarke manages to shuffle and trip her way to the riverbank, Lexa has waded into the center of the flowing water in nothing but her underclothes. The water only deep enough to lap at her bellybutton. Lexa catches Clarke’s eyes roaming her fit form and casually crouches down into the water hiding her toned stomach and perky breasts bound in cloth. Being caught ogling the woman, Clarke can only avert her gaze and blush furiously in apology. She begins to turn back from where she came but Lexa calls out to her, stilling her movements. “It’s ok, Klark, you didn’t offend me. The cool water will soothe your muscles. If you’re uncomfortable I’ll get out. Willa needs to be seen to anyway.” The brunette stands fully and if her body wasn’t distracting before, her goosebumped flesh dripping with water makes Clarke feel like she just got punched in the face. She’s gorgeous. Clarke manages to keep eye contact with Lexa as she makes her way out of the water until Lexa can’t help but blush at Clarke’s wide eyed gaze and she tilts her gaze down, pulling her bottom lip into her mouth. 

“Enjoy the water, Klark. I’ll bring Willa down shortly.” She says quietly as she passes Clarke’s frozen form. “And please be careful.”

Clarke turns back to nod for Lexa but realizes her mistake as soon as she does. Lexa is already to the line of dense brush where her clothing is piled and bent over picking up her first layer of clothing. The vision of her toned, long legs and plump backside forces Clarke’s heart into overdrive and she swallows painfully, trying to control the sudden dryness in her mouth. She needs to get into the cold water yesterday. Clarke hastily starts removing her clothes and by the time she’s awkwardly stumbled into the water and sunk down to her chin in the refreshing current, Lexa is gone. 

After the initial awkwardness of seeing each other in their underclothes, not that Lexa hadn’t seen more when she was tending to Clarke’s injuries, the pair fell into a comfortable companionship. Lexa had removed Willa’s saddle and they both worked to wash the mount down in the refreshing water. They then proceeded to brush Willa down in the sun until they had all fully dried and been re-saddled and clothed. 

“How are you feeling?” Lexa asked, breaking the long silence they had shared. 

Clarke shrugged. The break from riding and cool water had done wonders for her aching body but knew it wouldn’t be enough to ride comfortably any time soon. 

“I know it’s still going to be uncomfortable, and I’m sorry, but we must move on. I get anxious every day that passes when I am not with my people.”

Nodding in understanding Clarke manages to haul herself up on Willa before Lexa climbs up behind her, automatically wrapping Clarke in her strong hold and clicking her tongue, sending Willa off at a trot. 

They make better time after that, the proof is in the smile the commander gives Clarke while helping her down from Willa once darkness sets in. 

“We made better time than I had hoped for today, Goufa.” 

Clarke manages a humorless chuckle before limping to a nearby spot of mossy ground and plopping down unceremoniously on it. The ride had been better than this morning but still jostling and painful. 

Lexa smirks and turns to Willa. “I’ll set up camp for the night and find us some food.” She pulls Clarke’s bedroll from Willa’s saddle and drapes it over Clarke’s shoulders. “It gets cold quickly in the forest. Stay warm and when I’m done I’ll apply some more oil to your back. And chew this.” She offers more of the bitter bark and Clarke takes it reluctantly, finding it hard to be thankful when she was still feeling miserable. 

The commander turns on her heels and slinks into the darkening woods, leaving Clarke with only Willa’s presence to comfort her in the quickly chilling air. When she returns she has a wrapped bundle of branches and dug up roots slung over her shoulder. “I’m assuming you don’t know how to start a fire?” She questions as she drops the bundle next to Clarke and begins digging out choice sticks.

Clarke  _ can  _ make fire, whether she can do it in a timely manner or up to the commander’s standards is another question. So she waves her hand up in front of her face and gets out a scratchy “ehh” all to the amusement of the woman crouched next to her. 

“Watch carefully, then.” Lexa orders as she quickly sparks a flame and begins to feed it small kindling. But Clarke didn’t need Lexa to tell her to watch closely. The commanders’ long nimble fingers were enough to catch Clarke’s attention as she continued to feed the growing fire gradually larger pieces of tinder. 

↢ ∞ ↣

It’s after dinner and the coals have died down that Clarke makes for the small tent, sore and still aching. Lexa had yet to rub the calming oil on Clarke’s back and neck but she wasn’t about to ask for it or assume that it was Lexa’s responsibility. So she makes it into her bedroll atop yet another squishy pile of pine boughs before Lexa slips into the tent and places the familiar satchel of medicines next to Clarke. 

“I would like to apply the oil more thoroughly tonight, Goufa.” Lexa explains. Urging Clarke to roll on her stomach with insistent hands before trying to peel off Clarke’s sweater and shirt together.

“Wha-?” Clarke chokes out. Springing to her elbows and yanking her shirts back down while choking on her lack of voice. 

“Please.” Lexa whispers softly. “I only want to help so that tomorrow's ride will not result in more painful spasms for you.”

Clarke turns her head to find the commander blushing with eyes downcast. “The last thing I want is to take advantage or make you uncomfortable.” 

Huffing out a sigh of resignation and then breathing deeply to steady herself. Clarke strips her top layer of clothes, leaving herself bare, and burrows down into the bedroll beneath her hiding her blushing face. After a moment of charged silence. Lexa’s gentle hands move to remove the wrap around Clarke’s neck and pull her messy blond hair into a knot on the top of her head. 

“You must alert me if I am being too rough.” Lexa says, her voice low and raspy before she clears her throat and pours some of the healing oil on Clarke’s back. “Expect some discomfort but there should be no serious pain.”

Clarke barely manages a scratchy, “kay”, before the grounders surprisingly warm hands are on her. It doesn’t take long before Clarke is moaning from the pleasurable way Lexa is applying the oil to her back. Not necessarily the best time for her voice to be coming back but Clarke can’t find it in herself to be embarrassed anymore when Lexa’s hands sliding along the outside of her spine feel so damn good. It’s only when Clarke lets out an overly sexual groan when Lexa moves to her neck does the cloud of pleasure clear enough for Clarke to imagine the scene she’s a part of. Naked from the waist up in a dark tent with a beautiful, commanding woman running her strong hands along her oiled back. The visual shoots a bolt of warmth straight to Clarke’s core and she squirms under Lexa’s ministrations. 

“Am I hurting you?” Lexa asks, concerned. Her hands stopping any movement and gently resting where they are. 

Clarke shakes her head no.

“Are you sure?” Lexa asks again. 

“Y...yes.” Clarke’s scratchy voice manages. “S’good.” 

“Good. That’s good.” Lexa stutters. “I’m done anyways.” She pulls the cover of Clarke’s bedroll over her exposed back and scurries out of the tent calling over her shoulder. “I’ll get you some water while you make yourself decent.”

Sighing, Clarke slips her clothes back on and waits for the commander to return. When she does, she checks that Clarke is decent before entering and then pushing the skin into Clarke’s hand. She grumbles about keeping watch as she bundles up her own bed roll and makes a hasty retreat into the chill night outside. 

Wishing Lexa would just forget about the previous night and lay comfortingly next to her, Clarke wraps her neck for good measure and makes to fall asleep. A feat made easier by the relaxing massage the commander had given her. Clarke drops into sleep quickly and dreams of warm hands on her skin while her ears are filled with the roar of the dropship falling to earth. 

↢ ∞ ↣

“Klark.” Lexa’s voice breaks into Clarke’s dreams not quite waking her but alerting her of her presence. 

“Klark?” Lexa says again, slightly louder, a little nervous. “Klark, wake up.”

“Mmm?” Clarke grumbles groggily. 

“The night is much colder than usual this time of year. I’m afraid it would be unwise for me to sleep in the open with the thinness of bedroll I packed for myself. My apologies I wouldn’t have done so if-”

But Clarke cuts the woman's rambling off by feeling around in the dark for Lexa and grabbing the limb she makes contact with first. An arm presumably. And proceeding to sleepily pull the frozen commander down into her bedroll with her. Lexa stiffens at the action but allows herself to be positioned by Clarke to be laying on her side with Clarke pressed closely behind her. 

“Klark, I-” Lexa begins to argue the positioning no doubt but Clarke shushes the commander and reaches for Lexa’s own bedroll. piling that on top of them. Lexa’s limbs feel like ice and Clarke absently runs her hands along the length of Lexa’s arm to warm her. 

“Goufa.” She whispers throatily into the chill air before pulling Lexa closer to her and falling back into a deep sleep. 

↢ ∞ ↣

When Clarke woke the next morning it was to find herself feeling better than she had since first being found by the grounder commander. That and said grounder was still pulled against her front, hand entwined with her own, and snoring softly. Slowly Clarke moved to lean up on her elbow and look down at the beautiful woman soundly asleep. How many people have seen their commander like this? She wondered. Peaceful and content. Almost childish in the way she clung to Clarke’s arm and slept within it’s safety. Probably not many if any at all. 

Clarke fought the urge to lie back down and inhale the commander’s scent and instead slowly extracted herself from the warm bedrolls. She checked on Willa and coaxed the coals back to life and boiled the remaining roots Lexa had collected the night previous along with some of the dried goods from the saddle bag before the commander groggily tumbled out of the tent. 

“Klark.” Lexa acknowledged her from across the fire as she settled on her haunches rubbing her eyes.

Clarke tipped her head and smiled softly already knowing whatever luck she had had with her voice yesterday was not to be today. She had tried talking to Willa earlier with no luck. Just a scratchy wheezing noise. 

“No voice today?” Lexa asks, prodding the fire with her foot and immediately setting it to burning more efficiently. 

Shrugging, Clarke shakes her head but then points to the remaining half of the breakfast she had set aside for the commander. 

“Ah. Thank you.” Lexa said. Stretching to reach the small pot and cradling it in her lap. “I had hoped your voice would be more improved today but you must have overworked it yesterday.” Strangely Lexa’s cheeks turn pink momentarily before she digs into her breakfast. Clarke moves to roll up the bedrolls and stuff them in Willa’s saddle bags before trying to figure out taking down the tent. 

“Here. Let me.” Lexa says, taking over the unruly knot Clarke had been working on for the past minute or so with no luck. “If you…” The commander holds one part of the knot firmly between her fingers while pulling the excess rope with the other causing the knot to dissolve in her hands. Clarke glares at her playfully and Lexa chuckles before moving to the next one. “You do the ones on the other side. I’ll teach you how to set it up tonight.”

Tonight. Clarke thinks. What is this budding relationship with the commander of grounders? As nice as it is alone in the woods together. Will it do any good when they reach the Ark and any damage it and the people residing inside may have incurred upon Lexa’s people. The thought keeps her silent(well that and her voice) and reserved until the rest of their small camp was packed securely and Willa saddled. 

Clarke clambers up onto Willa with no preamble and Lexa follows suit. Wrapping her arm around Clarke’s waist in the now familiar hold and clicking her tongue in Clarke’s ear, signaling their mount to begin the days journey through the woods. 

“You are quiet today, Goufa.” Lexa says softly some hours later. 

Clarke turns in the saddle to raise a brow and point at her throat exaggeratingly.

“Well, yes.” Lexa smirks and rolls her eyes urging Clarke to turn back around with a jerk of her head. “Your energy is quiet. Resigned almost.” Lexa sighs. “Again I wish I knew what you were thinking.”

Clarke just shrugs and leans back into the commander. She absently begins to pick at the sleeve of Lexa’s coat arm wrapped around her midsection. They fall into silence again, Clarke running her hands along the stitches and patterns of Lexa’s coat while Lexa occasionally hums instructions to Willa. 

“How is your neck and back?” Lexa asks around mid-day. Pulling Clarke from her study of the commanders hand now held gently between her own. At some point Lexa’s coat had lost its charm and Clarke had moved onto absently running her fingers over the scars running along the backs of Lexa’s hands. When she had mapped those, Clarke had grabbed the commander's hand and removed it from her waist in order to turn it over and examine the palm and fingers more closely. Clarke soon began making up stories to go along with every scar and callus adorning that hand. She found it a pleasurable way to pass the time and Lexa hadn’t complained. 

Clarke released Lexa’s hand to give a thumbs up in front of the both of them and Lexa moved to lean around Clarke and make eye contact, trying to read her expression. “I don’t understand the hand signal.” She informed Clarke. “You don’t look to be in pain so I’m assuming you are feeling less pain than before?”

Clarke nods and gives the thumbs up again before pointing to her face and giving Lexa an exaggerated, cheery grin. 

“This is good.” Lexa says. “I believe we are about one days hard ride from the crash site. If you agree to it, I’d like to ride through lunch and only stop once it gets dark. That should enable us to reach our people by late tomorrow morning I think.”

Clarke nods her agreement and leans forward in the saddle. Eager to find her people and leave the complicated emotions she was beginning to feel for the commander in the woods. Lexa stiffens behind Clarke momentarily, picking up on her mood, before she crowds Clarke on the front of the saddle and urges Willa into a faster gate, her arm tightening on Clarke’s waist. 

↢ ∞ ↣

By the time they stop to make camp, Clarke’s ass is on fire from Willa’s quickened pace but Lexa is smiling as she hauls Clarke out of the saddle. “We made excellent time today, Goufa. We may only be a handful of miles out from our people now.”

Clarke raises her brow in question as Lexa helps her sit against a large rock. Why hadn’t they just pushed on? It wasn’t even that dark yet. It had been much darker the last two nights they had stopped. 

Lexa rubs at her neck, picking up on Clarke’s question with the way she looked pointedly at the twilit sky. “I uhh… I worried for your neck and back.” She explained before grinning widely. “That and your ass.” She laughed at Clarkes quick downturn of her lips. “Just don’t ask me to rub oil on that tonight, huh?” She teases as she leaves Clarke once again, a sore mess, to set up camp. 

They’re fed and Willa has been watered and brushed down and given oat cakes as a special treat before Lexa pats the space in front of her by the fire. 

“Sit Klark. Bring the medicine pouch and let me look after that neck.”

Clarke limps to the saddle bags and draws forth the satchel and tosses it lightly to Lexa before she drops heavily in front of the commander. 

Lexa unwraps Clarke’s neck and begins rubbing oils on her while Clarke tears off a chunk of the bitter bark with her teeth to chew on. 

“Your muscles feel less locked up.” Lexa says softly as she works. “I suspect your voice will come back fully within the next couple of days. I think it best to refrain from trying to talk until we reach your people so we have a better chance of effectively communicating with them. It was one of the reasons I decided to stop early tonight.” She explained. “What good would it be if we reached our people but you were unable to talk to yours and calm the situation if needed? Better to give you an extra night of healing.” 

Clarke nods slowly in agreement. She sees the logic in it but isn't convinced that was Lexa’s main motivation for extending the trip another night. 

“I have also enjoyed my time with you.” She whispers as Lexa moves to apply the oil to Clarke’s lower back. “It would have been nicer if we could have communicated easier.” She pauses. “But then maybe the trip would have been less enjoyable.” She tags on with a playful tone. 

Clarke’s quick to swing an elbow back into Lexa’s ribs where she receives a grunt signaling her success. 

“Goufa.” Lexa reprimands with a squeeze of her hands. “I am only teasing.” 

“Hmph.” Clarke exclaims as she dramatically crosses her arms in front of her. 

Lexa finishes by pulling Clarke’s shirts down and placing the bottle of remaining oil in Clarke’s lap. “I know I made a joke about this earlier but you should use what remains on your...soreness from riding.” 

Clarke twists in front of Lexa to get a good look at her face by the firelight to see that her face is genuine and she means what she says. 

“Truly.” Lexa presses on. “I remember my first hard ride and it’s not because it was enjoyable. It will make riding and walking much easier on you tomorrow. Especially if the oil has a whole night to work on your...muscles.” 

Clarke throws her head back in silent laughter and nods, acquiescing. Feeling emboldened and aware that the forest has given them a sense of otherness from the rest of the world Clarke raises her eyebrow suggestively and holds the oil out to the commander. 

Lexa looks from the proffered oil in Clarke’s hand to Clarke’s face several times before she understands what Clarke is asking. “Oh.” She says, eyes comically wide. “Ohhhhh.” 

Clarke just smirks and gently shakes the oil in Lexa’s face. 

“I uhm. I’m not sure what you are asking.” Lexa says awkwardly, her cheeks flaring up. “Are you asking me to…?” 

Clarke smiles and gives Lexa a thumbs up probably confusing the poor woman more but taking delight in disarming the usually stoic woman. She seems to catch on though and smiles conspiratorially. “I thought I told you not to ask, Goufa?”

Clarke just shrugs her shoulders and giggles out air in the closest thing she was going to get to a laugh. Lexa rolls her eyes and slaps the bottle from Clarke’s hand playfully. “Your sky jokes are confusing and crude, Klark of the sky people.” She gets up and rubs the dust from her pants. “Go and apply the ointment in the tent while I kick down the coals and check on Willa.”

Standing gingerly, Clarke makes her way to the tent and gingerly applies the oil, wondering what could have happened if Lexa had not thought Clarke was joking.

↢ ∞ ↣

Clarke wakes with Lexa wrapped tightly around her the next morning. Her breath tickling her neck and her warm hand slid under Clarke’s shirt, tucked between Clarke’s side and the ground. It’s the safest Clarke has felt since before leaving the Ark and the thought of potentially leaving that behind later today, of separating from the commander as enemies instead of comfortable companions, nearly brings Clarke to tears. She had spent most of the previous day coming to terms with her feelings toward Lexa and the grounder culture she was slowly learning. Clarke felt closer to Lexa then she had ever felt with anyone on the Ark not including her parents and Wells. But they had abandoned or hurt her in some way or another. When Clarke looked at Lexa, she had a hard time imagining the commander turning her back on her if Clarke was one of her people. But Clarke wasn’t one of Lexa’s people. And as much as Clarke repeated that to herself throughout the previous day, her heart still longed for it to be different. Clarke had become emotionally attached to the commander of the twelve clans and she could not see how any amount of treaties or alliances could bring and keep the two of them together. Lexa was Heda. Her people were her first priority and Clarke was just a criminal from the sky. They could never be together and yet she could still only think of waking up every day in Lexa’s arms. Of greeting the beautiful woman with gentle kisses when she walked into their bedroom at night and waking her up just the same. Of being a part of a community and a people that didn’t see her as a criminal or a child, but as an integral part of their community. Someone with value. She had come to terms with it and settled those feelings knowing she could full well have to turn on them today. Lexa would side with her people and Clarke would have to side with hers. They would separate and potentially never see each other again. Her heart and mind made heavy with her thoughts, Clarke turned in Lexa’s arms and burrowed into her chest, inhaling her woodsy scent and relishing the feeling of being held and feeling a part of something she actually enjoyed and could be proud of. 

Her stirring must have woken the commander because soon Lexa was rubbing soothing circles into Clarke’s back and hushing her troubled breathing. 

“I wonder if you are upset for the same reasons I am this morning?” She whispers into Clarke’s hair. 

Clarke can only sigh heavily and pull Lexa tighter to her. Fitting her fingertips in the divot Lexa’s spine created on her lower back.

“I meant it when I said I would do everything in my power to protect you if today does not go well, Klark.” Lexa consoles, continuing the gentle rubbing of Clarke’s back. “But I need your consent.” 

Clarke leans back to look into Lexa’s sleepy eyes, a question apparent on her face.

“I need your consent to make potentially life altering decisions when it comes to your safety. I need to know if you would choose a grounder life over one with your people if it comes to it. Because if that is what you want I will not let you go easily and I will fight to give you a grounder life. But only if that is what you want.” Lexa’s hand stops on Clarke’s hip and she searches her eyes for an answer. 

A tear breaks from Clarke’s control and slides down her cheek onto the bedroll and Lexa continues to wait patiently. How was it that Lexa seemed to know exactly what Clarke wanted? Had spent hours convincing herself weren’t possible. Or the feelings reciprocated. Would it really be so hard to abandon the people who had abandoned Clarke already? First locking her away for trying to do the right thing and then banishing her to a potentially gruesome death on Earth. No. No. Abandoning the people of the Ark to become a grounder was more appealing than Clarke could put into words. A life that contained Lexa in any form, and her culture, and the unity of it all. Clarke wanted that. She wanted it so badly she would almost be willing to give up the peoples lives who also wanted that future in able to have it herself. Almost. But Clarke couldn’t turn her back on her people if there was a chance that they all could have the happiness Lexa was offering. 

Wishing Clarke could vocalize these things to Lexa, but knowing any words would come up short in comparison to the whirlwind of thoughts and emotions she’d want to convey, Clarke reaches for the woman’s face in front of her and places a gentle lingering kiss on her sleep swollen lips. The grounder startles at Clarke’s action and stiffens briefly before sighing into Clarke’s lips and returning the kiss. Lexa’s grip on Clarke’s waist tightens before she moves her hand to Clarke’s back, pulling her flush against her front. Lexa deepens the kiss and Clarke let’s her. Selfish in her need to experience what she could have before turning it away. Clarke slips her tongue into Lexa’s waiting mouth and groans at the taste she finds there. It simultaneously drags her deeper into the commander's embrace as well as shocks her from it like a bucket of ice water poured over her head. She pulls away almost painfully and watches the look on Lexa’s face fall. 

“I’m sorry.” Clarke manages to whisper out roughly and Lexa pulls her into her arms, cradling Clarkes now shaking form from sobs in her arms. 

“Shh.” She coos. “I understand, Klark. They’re your people. We may still yet end the day as a united people.”

Clarke sniffles into Lexa’s shirt and nods unconvinced. If she knows her people and the leaders of the Ark. The sky people will not willingly bow to a foreign woman the likes of Lexa easily. 

“We must assess the damage already done and see what we can’t do to rectify it.” Lexa continues sternly, a fire lighting behind her eyes. “Let us break camp and reach our people.”

Clarke nods resolutely and extracts herself from the commander. Unwilling to accept that this could be her last morning waking up next to the grounder. 

↢ ∞ ↣

They ride into the nearest village to the crash site, TonDC, relieved to find it intact and it’s people, however panicked they may be, alive and well. Lexa tightens her arm around Clarke reassuringly and whispers in her ear. “This is good, Klark.” 

They soon find Lexa’s gonas that had ridden ahead and that interaction was less hopeful. What remained of them were in the healers hut, badly wounded by gunshots and tales of the brutality of the sky people. 

“Klark.” Lexa says. Gaining her attention outside of the tent after Clarke had rushed out, unable to look the wounded gonas in the eye anymore. “This is not your fault. You didn’t do this.”

“I might as well have!” Clarke whispers angrily. “ _ My  _ people did this!”

“Save your voice, Goufa!” Lexa scolds and pulls Clarke by her elbow behind the healers hut. “You will need it when you explain to your people why fighting us is a mistake.”

Clarke’s mouth drops open and she flings her arms out in frustration.  _ How? _

“You will find a way.” Lexa says. “I believe in you.” 

She leads Clarke to the building reserved for Heda during visits and where Willa’s saddle bags had been stored. There Lexa produces Clarke’s sky clothes from one of them with a grin and quirk of her eyebrow. “I had them mended as well as they could. I thought they may be of use to us at some point.”

Clarke thumbs the familiar material and looks to Lexa for more explanation. “My gona have told us that your sky people will not let any grounders approach without being shot at. They know of your existence on the ground...surely they won’t shoot at their own people. But you must be brave, Klark. They could shoot at you in fear regardless.” 

Seeing it as their only logical next step. Clarke breathes deep and begins removing her now familiar grounder clothes one article at a time. Lexa gasped when Clarke began to brazenly disrobe in front of her but quickly grew reverent in the way she took each article handed to her and folded it. Placing it on the table next to them before receiving the next and then eventually moving forward to gently finish the task for Clarke herself. Sliding gentle hands along her ribs as she removed her undershirt and placing soft kisses down Clarke’s thighs as she pulled the grounder riding pants down her legs. The action leaving Clarke overheated while being simultaneously covered is goose bumps. A single kiss was placed to Clarke’s lips before Lexa dressed Clarke just as delicately back into her Arkers clothes. 

Once dressed Lexa placed a reassuring kiss to Clarke’s neck just under her ear and said softly. “As soon as you are past your peoples border safely, I will follow to join you in negotiations.”

Clarke shook her head vehemently. It would be too dangerous for Lexa to follow. Maybe if they could disguise her as a sky person but not as a grounder. Not as the commander of the twelve clans. 

“Yes, Klark.” Lexa urged. “You must enter and you must convince them to let me as well. I will not let you enter into that place alone. My people need my voice and you may require it as well.”

Clarke continues to shake her head in disapproval. 

“I will not be swayed, Klark.” Lexa says firmly. “Come now. Our people need us”

↢ ∞ ↣

Lexa leaves Clarke just before the first clearing made by falling debris from the Ark. She squeezes her fingers quickly. Gonas from TonDC close behind and already suspicious of their commander’s seemingly close relationship with the intruder from the sky.

“You may not be able to see me.” Lexa says. “But I will never be far away.”

Clarke isn’t entirely sure if Lexa means physically or spiritually but she nods anyways. Allows herself one longing glance into Lexa’s vibrant eyes and picks her way carefully through the scorched and torn earth leading her to her fallen home ship. 

“Don’t shoot!” She calls out as best as she can with her mangled voice when Clarke makes visual of the makeshift fence built from collected debris around what remained of the Ark. There are segments made up of thin lines of wire and Clarke can hear the electric buzz of them from where she stands. She holds her hands up high and wishes to whatever god may exist that she will live through the next fifty yards to the gate. If I can just make it close enough so one of the guards can see my face and recognize me, that will be enough, Clarke assures herself. Just one step at a time. Get to the gate. Find my mother. Protect Lexa. 

“Stop right there!” A voice calls out once Clarke gets within twenty yards of the protective fence. “State your name!”

“Clarke Griffin!” Clarke calls out as evenly as possible, desperate to save her voice so she can communicate more in the future. She lifts her arm and points at the tracking band around her wrist, signaling herself as one of the prisoners from the skybox. 

“Get on the ground!” Another voice yells. “On your knees!”

Clarke complies slowly and sheds tears of fear while doing so. God I’m so close. Don’t fucking kill me now, she thinks. Clarke can hear the heavy foot falls of the Arker guards making their way to her before she is roughly grabbed under her arms, hauled to her feet and drug through the makeshift gate. 

“Where are the other delinquents?” A guard asks once they deposit Clarke ungracefully onto the muddy ground. The metallic quaking of the gate stops with a solid thump once it closes completely behind them. Clarke tries her best to peer through the small gaps to look for Lexa while also dealing with the guards. 

“Back at the dropship.” She whispers. “You need to get Dr. Abigail Griffin and the chancellor here immediately. It’s life or death.”

“Speak up, delinquent.” One of the guards grunts. 

“I  _ can’t _ .” Clarke says, pointing to her neck. “I’m injured. You need to get the chancellor now. I was taken here by a grounder who wants to negotiate with us so please!” Clarke beggs and her voice cracks at the end of her plea signaling she was already losing her voice. 

“A grounder? Where!?” The guards ask anxiously. “High alert!” He calls out to his fellow guard members milling around behind the gate and the ones already stationed on the fence. “Look sharp! There’s a grounder out there!”

“No!” Clarke yells, her throat burning from the act and she throws herself at the guard yelling orders. “No, don't shoot! Please! Just get my mother!”

“What’s going on?” A commanding but familiar voice breaks through the hysteria that was taking over the camp. “What is this?”

“Mom!” Clarke croaks and pushes through the guards to get to her mother.

“Oh my god! Clarke!” Abby cries out as she catches Clarke and wraps her tightly in her arms. “I’m so glad you’re ok.” 

“Mom.” Clarke begs, her voice faint. “I need you to trust me and let a grounder into camp to talk to the chancellor. She wants to negotiate for peace and an alliance. Please don’t let them shoot her!” 

“A grounder?!” Abby says. “Where? And Clarke what’s wrong with your voice? Did the grounders do this to you?”

“Mom, please!” Clarke says hoarsely. “She saved me. Please, let her in to talk to the chancellor and she can explain everything. Please get me to the chancellor so I can explain before I lose my voice again!” 

“No need, Clarke.” Abby says reassuringly to Clarke, pulling her in close to her side and kissing the top of her head. “Miller!” She calls out. “Let this grounder woman Clarke is talking about through the gate. She’s earned herself a conversation by bringing my daughter back to me.”

“Yes, Chancellor.” The guard replies and hurries off to spread word. 

“Chancellor?” Clarke baulks. 

Abby just nods and makes to pull Clarke towards the wreck of the Ark. “Let me take you to medical to get you evaluated.”

“No!” Clarke pulls away. “But Lexa.”

“Lexa?” 

“The grounder. Let me go to her and bring her back.”

“Absolutely not, Clarke.” Abby argues, pulling her further towards the Ark. 

“Y-yes!” Clarke cries out and breaks free from her mother's grasp. “Just let me make sure she is safe and then you can do whatever you want to me just please...please let me go to her.”

Abby contemplates for a moment before she purses her lips and gives Clarke a curt nod. “Fine. But bring Miller with you.”

“Thank you!” Clarke whispers and hugs her mother. “I’ll be right back.”

Clarke turns on her heel and runs back to the gate pointing wildly at it as she hears her mother call out orders behind her. The gate creeks to life and Clarke pushes it along to help until there is a gap big enough for her to squeeze through and she bolts out into the open searching for familiar brown hair and green eyes. 

“Lexa!” Clarke tries to call out but her voice breaks halfway through the name.

“Hey wait up!” The guard, Miller, calls to Clarke, running to catch up while remaining alert with his rifle pressed close to his cheek.

Clarke stomps to the man and pushes the barrel of the gun down to the ground and pushes him in retaliation. How could he just walk around with his weapon drawn like that when he was ordered not to shoot Lexa? The idiot could shoot her just because she accidentally startled him. Clarke wasn’t about to let that happen.

“What the fuck?” Miller argues. Trying to push Clarke off of him and regain control of his firearm.

“No!” Clarke croaks and pushes it down again. “Don’t you dare hurt her.” 

“What? I can’t understand you.” Miller asks again, stiff-arming Clarke while trying to take in his surroundings. 

“Klark?” A familiar voice calls out. 

“Lexa!” Clarke manages to squeak out while still struggling to keep the guards rifle out of his hands. 

“Klark!” Lexa calls out again and both Clarke and Miller turn to see her jogging towards them with her hands held up. 

“Is that her?” Miller asks, still trying to keep Clarke at bay.

Clarke nods vigorously before running to Lexa and throwing herself at her. 

“Omph!” The air leaves Lexa’s chest as Clarke collides with her. “Careful, Goufa!” 

“Sorry.” Clarke barely manages to scratch out. 

“Is your voice gone already?” Lexa asks, holding Clarke out at arms length. 

Clarke nods again but refuses to release Lexa from her grasp. She figures ruining any good shot the Arkers may have on Lexa was the best she could do to protect her considering Miller had lifted his rifle as soon as Clarke had stopped pushing him to lower it. 

“This could prove to make negotiations more difficult.” Lexa sighs and moves calmly towards the gate, pulling Clarke along with her. Miller follows closely behind, his rifle pointed at the pair. 

“Lower your weapons!” Abby calls out once they make it past the gate. “That’s my daughter you're aiming at!”

The guards hesitantly lower their weapons but stare wearily at Lexa still holding Clarke close to her side. 

“Is this her?” Abby asks as she approaches the pair. 

Clarke nods and Lexa dips her chin towards Abby before saying with all her commander façade in place. “I am Lexa, Commander of the twelve clans. I wish to speak to the leader of your people. You have landed in my territory and wounded some of my people with no provocation. You must answer for your actions before any talk of peace between our people can be had.”

Clarke’s mouth drops open at Lexa’s boldness and her mother mirrors her. “How dare you!” Abby cries out. ”We were protecting ourselves. You sent armed warriors to attack us!”

“You exiled a group of  _ children  _ to a planet you thought inhabitable to  _ die! _ ” Lexa unleashes on Abby. “Where they then proceeded to cause damage to one of our villages, injure some of my people, and now you have torn and burned my land by crashing into important farm land for the neighboring village! So yes! I sent my warriors to assess the damage and the threat that you possess. It seems I was right in doing so since you killed or injured some of my most trusted gonas!” Lexa squeezes Clarke’s shoulder in reassurance before she continues, her voice back to her controlled and level tone. “You must pay for your crimes before we can discuss the possibility of us cohabitating peacefully. My people will not allow any other way.”

“Who says we want to cohabitate?” Abby spits. 

“The placement of your ship.” Lexa shrugs. “By all means. Move your people off my land and we won’t have that problem any longer. But you will still pay for the damage you have caused, you will clean the mess you have made with your metal beast and you will collect the errant children running through my forest causing trouble.” 

“This sounds more like a demand than a negotiation.” Abby says. 

“This is how it is.” Lexa says determined, her eyes never leaving Abby’s. 

“And what part does my daughter have to play in all this?” Abby asks. “I see you have her wrapped around your finger.” 

“Your...daughter?” Lexa asks. She turns her face down to Clarke, disbelief and shock flashing over her features. “This is your mother, Klark?” 

Clarke nods. She’s not sure what else she can do besides rip her hair out in frustration at her lack of voice.

“And who is this chancellor Klark spoke of?” Lexa asks.

“I am.” Abby says, planting her feet and squaring her shoulders. “So if you would please release my daughter. I would rather we have this discussion in a more private setting.” 

“Why did you not tell me your mother was the leader of your people?” Lexa hisses into Clarke’s ear. 

For her part Clarke can only look pleadingly up to Lexa and shake her head. Lexa’s brows furrowed in confusion before Abby intervened. 

“She didn’t know.” Abby said. “I’ve only just been appointed to the position.”

“I see.” Lexa nodded. “Is there a way for Klark to be treated before we continue our conversation? I believe she may make some interesting points we could both do with hearing.”

“I…” Abby startled, surprised by Lexa’s words. “Yes. Of course. You will have to leave any weapons with the guards and I will have them escort you to a meeting room in the ark.”

“No.” Lexa said quickly. “I will release my weapons to you but I will stay by Klark's side.”

“Listen.” Abby starts. “You can’t play my daughter like some pawn. I don’t know what you did to make her so attached to you but I’m sure being around her people again will dissolve any thin bond you may have forced her into feeling for you.”

“I did no such thing.” Lexa argued. “I found her injured and close to death in the woods. I brought her to my healers and helped her. Since then we have been struggling to reach you in hopes of garnering a peace between our people. Our bond is that we both love our people and you will not see that fail.” 

Clarke was overwhelmed by the emotions that had coursed through her body in the past five minutes. Shock at Lexa’s demands for justice, anger at her mother's obstinance and now passion for the woman still holding Clarke close to her side. If Lexa kept talking like that they might just be able to come to some sort of agreement between their people. 

Abby’s face softened somewhat as she made eye contact with Clarke. Clarke desperately tried to convey how much this peace and this woman means to her with her eyes. She would beg on her knees if she had to. But Abby just rolled her eyes and waved them both forward. “Fine.” 

↢ ∞ ↣

It takes two days of treatment for Clarke to get her voice back fully. Lexa standing stoically by her side the whole while. She sat stiffly in the chair beside the exam table Clarke resided on during the days while being poked and prodded by her mother and Lexa(after quite the loud argument with Abby) gently held Clarke in her arms while she slept in the room they had leant to Lexa for the duration of their negotiations. Lexa had insisted on sharing a room with Clarke and that she would be allowed two of her armed gonas to stand guard outside the door while they slept. Clarke wasn’t sure what upset her mother more. Knowing that her daughter was sharing a bed with her perceived enemy or allowing two armed warriors into their camp.

Either way Clarke was grateful for it when long into their shared silence in the darkened room, Lexa squeezed Clarke’s side and whispered in her ear. “These sky people are strange, Goufa. You’re metal home is cold and the people scamper about like mice inside of it.” 

For Clarke’s part, she could only chuckle and roll in the commander’s arms to place a gentle kiss on warm lips. She had been given a concoction of medicines to heal her swollen larynx and quicken the healing process but strictly told to refrain from trying to speak. 

“You really spent your whole life living within this metal device?” Lexa asked after humming in approval of Clarke’s affection. She cups Clarke’s jaw with her hand and looks at her with awe when Clarke nods with an affirmative to her question. “What a cold existence.” Lexa says, looking around the space. “So grey. So...barren.” 

Clarke can only purse her lips in agreement and hope that much more that negotiations with her mother run smoothly. 

So when enough time comes that Abby examines Clarke’s neck and throat with gently probing fingers and informs her that it should be safe to try and speak again. “But don’t over do it.” Abby added sternly. Clarke turned to Lexa and tried, “Heya, Hedda.” Her voice was more gravelly then normal but it was the closest her voice had sounded to its natural tone since her injury. Lexa allowed a small smile to grace her lips while in the presence of the medical staff and her gonas before replying, “Heya, Goufa”, while a slight blush crept up from her collar. Clearing her throat, Lexa looked to Abby with her smile and blush rangled and securely hidden behind her normal stoic features. “I believe it’s time to talk about what choices your people have, Chancellor.” 

↢ ∞ ↣

“No.” Abby said, definitively. 

“Then I fear we are at an impasse, Chancellor.” Lexa said, her head held high and her hands clasped together over her crossed thighs. “If we cannot agree to terms, I have no choice but to force you from my lands.”

“Lexa, please.” Clarke begged, panicked and struggling to think of a way out of this mess. If her mother wouldn’t agree to live peacefully among the grounders or leave to find new land that didn’t belong to any of the twelve clans, she was going to lose Lexa. She just needed some more time. Time to think of a new option. Time to talk her mom into living peacefully with the grounders. 

“No, Klark.” Lexa snaps, effectively silencing the whole room. “Your...Chancellor...refuses to see reason. If she is the representative of what your people are like, I find myself not wanting them on my lands even if we do come to an agreement.”

“You don’t mean that?” Clarke asks. If Lexa thinks lowly of the people from the ark what must she be thinking of Clarke right now? Is she changing her mind about wanting Clarke by her side? 

“I’m afraid I do.” Lexa says. Her eyes boring into Clarke’s. Clarke can tell the grounder is trying to convey a message with her eyes but Clarke can’t decipher what that look means. All she can do is clench her eyes shut in an attempt to hold back threatening tears. “There is another option I will give you, Chancellor.” Lexa starts carefully. “Let those of your people who wish to join mine leave yours peacefully. I will welcome them among my people and place them throughout the twelve clans. They will be my people. The sky people who choose to stay under your rule will remain your responsibility and see the effect your stubbornness has afflicted them with. But the people who join mine will be grounders and treated as such.”

“Is that a threat!?” Abby said, pushing from her seated position to leer over the commander of the twelve clans who quickly rises herself to glare down the chancellor. 

“It is a way out for the people who would not blindly follow a leader rushing them to death.” Lexa says lowly. 

“What makes you think I would agree to this? What makes you think any of our people would willingly join you? You’re practically living in the dark ages! Why would they degrade themselves like that? Your sticks and arrows don’t scare me Lexa.” 

“Mom!” Clarke cries, desperate to change the direction of the conversation. “You should listen to Lexa. Even if you don’t want to join her people, there are others who would.”

“You mean you?” Abby pins Clarke with her furried gaze then. “And what makes you think I’d let you run off with this…” she waves her hands at Lexa “this warlord. She’s a child, Clarke! She wants nothing more than to take you from me and make our people slaves to her will! That’s what will happen if we do what she says! We will never be accepted as grounders and we will be picked off one by one until nothing remains of our people. You heard her! She means to separate us throughout her land. Sounds a lot like divide and conquer to me. You will be her play thing, Clarke! Like you already have been! And she will gain all the knowledge and tech that gives us the advantage! ” 

“She saved me, mom!” Clarke yells. “She’s saved me multiple times and has done nothing but seek out a peace between us.”

“That’s what she wants you to think!” Abby yells back. “She has you so tightly in her clutches you can’t even see what she’s asking. She-”

“Enough!” Lexa bellows. “You have until dawn tomorrow to make your decision. You will repair the damage done to my lands and you will either join my people or you will leave my land by your own free will or forcefully by my hand. The choice is yours, Chancellor.” Lexa ends calmly. She turns to give Clarke a brief nod, “Klark” she all but whispers before swiftly making for the door and leaving Clarke alone with her mother in the room they had chosen for the negotiation. 

“I can’t believe you!” Clarke hisses at her mother as soon as the door slams behind Lexa. “How dare you think I don’t have the autonomy to think for myself? Do you really think I’m some puppet that lets whoever comes across me to play me willingly? Lexa is a good person, Mom. She is a good leader and she loves her people. Can you say the same?”

“Clarke.” Abby reprimands. 

“At least let those of us who wish to join the grounders, leave. This shouldn’t be your decision to make alone.”

“No Clarke!” Abby spits out.

“Then let’s leave. We can leave this land and find a new home.”

“Where, Clarke?” Abby asks. “The ark is our home. You mean for us to leave the shelter and supplies we have here in the ark to go die in the woods somewhere? Yes our ship landed in an unfortunate place, but this is our home. I refuse to leave it.”

“Then you’re all going to die.” Clarke growls, making for the exit.

“We’re.” Abby corrects. 

“What?” Clarke asks. Stopping to look her mother in the face.

“You think I’d let you run off with that monster? I’d rather lock you up again then see you become one of  _ them. _ ” Abby spits the last word like venom and glares at Clarke. “I was lenient as a faith of good will, Clarke. But I can clearly see she has her hooks in deep. I forbid you from seeing that grounder. And if you go against me I  _ will  _ see you locked up again. Do you understand me?”

“Go float yourself.” Clarke says, turning on her heel and storming out of the room. She needed to find Lexa to try and right all the wrongs her mother had just done. 

When Clarke makes it to her and Lexa’s shared room, it’s empty save for Miller sitting calmly on the end of the messed bed. 

“Clarke.” He greets dryly. 

“Where’s Lexa?” 

“Left.” He shrugs. “Ran with her tail between her legs.”

“You lie.” Clarke growls. 

“I don’t care.” Miller says, standing slowly and shaking out his arms. “I have orders. Come with me, Clarke.”

“No.” Clarke says. Backing slowly out of the room while Miller stalks her languidly. 

“Yes.’’ He says calmly, still following Clarke into the hall. “You’re to be confined until this whole mess with the grounders is over. Don’t worry though. It shouldn’t last too long.” He pats the rifle laid against his side. “I don’t think swords and bows will last long against our weapons, no matter how many of them there are. A hoard would just be easier to mow down.” 

“No.” Clarke’s voice breaks. “You can’t.” 

“I will.” Miller grins crookedly and snatches at Clarke’s arm. 

“Klark!” Lexa’s voice rings through the hall and Miller releases his painfully firm grip on Clarke to twist and face the commander. His hand already moving to his weapon. A soft ‘thunk’ sounds in Clarke’s ears before Miller drops to the ground quickly, his good arm now clutched around the knife sticking from his right bicep. 

“Quickly, Klark.” Lexa calls as she runs to Clarke and wraps her protectively in her arms. “We must leave. Now.” 

“But my people.” Clarke starts.

“They will not see reason, Goufa.” Lexa says, pulling Clarke down the hall with her back where she had come. “At least not now.”

“Not everyone is like my mother.” 

“I know.” Lexa says, rounding a corner to find council member Marcus Kane waiting, holding up a hinged panel of the arc revealing a darkened tunnel just big enough for a person to crawl through. 

“Kane?” Clarke gasps, stopping mid stride but Lexa quickly scoops her up and begins sliding her into the space. “How?”

“It’s ok, Clarke.” Kane reassured. “I won’t let our people go to war. But right now I think it’s best you leave with the Commander.”

Lexa pushes herself into the space behind Clarke and urges her forward. “Hurry, Goufa.” She hisses and Clarke reluctantly moves further into the space. 

“But my mother!” Clarke argues. 

“I’ll keep her safe.” Kane calls into the tunnel. “I’ll keep her safe and do my best to change her mind. Now go. You only have minutes until the guard will be alerted.”

“Thank you, Marcus of the sky people.” Lexa says, grabbing his forearm surely and nodding solemnly. “I will think of people like you when I speak of your people.” 

“Thank you.” He says before hurriedly closing the panel behind them and plunging them into darkness. 

“Lexa, what happened?” Clarke asks frantically in the dark. She can feel Lexa’s hands on her guiding her further into the tunnel. 

“My men and I were ambushed by a group of rogue guards when I left the meeting with your mother. Kane intervened and led me to this escape tunnel. A talking box he had with him spoke of plans to confine you…” She quieted behind Clarke and reached forward to find and squeeze Clarke’s ankle in the dark. “I wish no harm on your people, Klark. And I hope your mother’s gona will heal quickly from his wound. But I could not leave you there. You are too important of a player now to be locked up. Although now I’m worried this will be seen as an attack on your people. I’m not sure how we will be able to negotiate anything if your mother sees our escape as an act of violence and deceit. I have stolen her daughter.” 

Clarke wasn’t sure how to answer to that. Her mind was racing with all the possible outcomes of the actions they had all taken in the past hour and it made her head swim. Instead she reached behind her to cover Lexa’s hand with her own and squeeze it softly before continuing to crawl in the dark. 

They crawl for only about five minutes until Clarke’s head bangs painfully against the outer wall hidden in the pitch black. “Ouch! Mother-”

“Goufa.” Lexa chides as she squeezes alongside Clarke and places a gentle kiss to her forehead. “Kane said there is a handle along the seam of the tunnel here that will open up to the outside but to be careful, it opens alongside an out of the way but still popular walkway.”

They both felt around in the dark until Clarke’s fingers caught on a small latch. “I found it!” She whispered and guided Lexa’s own fingers to it in the dark. 

“Good.” Lexa said and began to quietly turn the latch. Light poured through the seam of the small door and blinded them both as Lexa slowly pushed it open. She left it open barely more than a crack, dousing them in light until both their eyes had adjusted and she wiggled onto her stomach and craned her neck to be able to peer through the cracks. 

“It’s clear.” She confirmed, pushing the makeshift door completely open and crawling out quickly, checking her surroundings all the while. “Quick.” She hissed and reached into the tunnel for Clarke, grabbing the front of her jacket and pulling her out into the light like she was a birthing babe. She didn’t give Clarke much time to right herself before the metallic clank of the door was shutting behind them and she was pulling Clarke in a hunched run to duck behind the closest pile of rubble piled alongside the fence line. 

“Heda!” A voice called from the other side of the criss-crossing wire fence and Lexa and Clarke whipped their heads around until one of Lexa’s gonas revealed himself from behind more rubble. “Over here. We have dug under.” He points further along the fence line behind a pile of mangled metal and Clarke can just make out the darkened earth of freshly tilled soil. 

“Let’s go.” Clarke says and checks once more for guards before making a go to the next pile, Lexa hot on her heels. “It’s electric.” Clarke warns Lexa as she begins to squirm under the line. She’s halfway under when the alarm sounds shrilly through the air. The gona on the other side of the fence grab Clarke just above her elbows and pull her through the rest of the way, quickly followed by their Heda. 

“We can’t make it out of this clearing without them spotting us.” Lexa says before she continues to mutter and Clarke presumes curse in her native tongue. “We need to bury our escape hole and lay low until dark. That’s our best chance for making it past the clearing.” The two gona immediately begin to fill in the hole they had just crawled through while Lexa takes Clarke by the hand and leads her to the other side of the rubble pile. 

“Do you think we can hide ourselves in here?” She asks Clarke, beginning to shift some of the rubble around. 

“I think we could probably create a pocket for us to crawl into.” Clarke says, leaning down to help Lexa lift a heavy sheet of metal and tip it on it’s side to create a lean-to against the rubble. 

“Quickly!” Lexa hisses to her gona as she continues to create hiding holes amongst the rubble for them. The gona finish and hurry back to Lexa and Clarke, climbing into their appointed hides before Lexa gently urges Clarke into one of her own. She begins to seal the space with more material when Clarke realizes Lexa means to leave her alone. 

“No, wait!” Clarke cries out louder than necessary. 

“Shh!” Lexa hushes and pulls away the scrap. “What?”

“Stay with me?” Clarke asks shyly, reaching out with a timid hand to the commander. 

“There is no room, Klark.” Lexa argues. 

Clarke shuffles to the side and presses herself against the makeshift wall behind her. “Yes there is.” She says pointing with her chin to the small sliver or soil she exposed.

Lexa rolls her eyes but drops to her hands and knees and crawls into the cramped space. She hovers over Clarke and they both carefully toe the makeshift door Lexa had found to somewhat cover their hiding hole’s entrance. “Pull your feet away from the opening.” She instructs and Clarke bends her knees up until they bump against Lexa’s rear, causing her to huff in annoyance and shuffle more forward above Clarke. She pushes her knees nearly into Clarke’s armpits before settling down on her haunches as best as she can, effectively covering Clarke’s body with her own except for Clarke’s bent legs poking out from between the grounders own. 

“Remember that you chose this, Goufa.” Lexa sighs against Clarke’s neck as she rests her forearms on either side of Clarke’s head and settles into her position on top of her. 

“I feel like I have a giant cat laying on my chest.” Clarke whispers quietly and giggles. 

“Now is not the time to make jokes.” Lexa chides but then quietly does her own approximation of a purr into Clarke’s ear. 

“Oh.” Clarke says in surprise. Not expecting her body’s reaction to the airy noise Lexa had puffed into her ear. Her core had tightened and warmed and her hand had immediately lifted to tangle into the loose fabric of Lexa’s coat falling on either side of her. 

“Shh.” Lexa coos into Clarke’s ear. “We must be quiet until dark and then we can move. I placed my gona so they will be able to see out and judge a good time for us to move.”

“O...okay.” Clarke whispered back, trying to calm her now racing heart. Now that some of the fear had receded Clarke was even more aware of the fact that Lexa was draped over top of her and her quiet whispers were softly being brushed against the sensitive skin of Clarke’s neck and ear. It was all she could do to hold herself back from begging Lexa to purr into her ear again. 

“What’s wrong?” Lexa asked softly. “Am I crushing you?”

Clarke swallowed hard. “No. No.” She reassured, moving her hands to slip under Lexa’s coat and squeeze her sides. “It’s just…” Clarke trails off when she feels Lexa stiffen momentarily above her before her body relaxes again. “This is kind of nice.”

“Goufa.” Lexa reprimands in Clarke’s ear. “We are hiding in fear of our lives and you are...excited about a woman laying on top of you.”

Clarke just shrugs but knows Lexa can feel it with her whole body. 

“Well I am quite uncomfortable.” Lexa huffs. 

They remain quiet for a time after that. The darkness slowly creeping over them and the cold as well. Lexa does her best to open her coat fully and enclose Clarke into it with her. 

“You didn’t, by the way.” Clarke breaks the long silence and Lexa starts like she had been close to sleep. 

“What?” Lexa whispered into the darkening space, lifting her head to stare into Clarke’s eyes.

“Steal me.” Clarke clarifies. “You didn’t steal me. I know I said I would stay with my people no matter what but…” 

“But what, Klark?” Lexa presses. 

“Would it be so bad if I chose you?” Clarke whispers her confession. “My duty is to my people no matter how wrong they might be. I feel like it’s my responsibility to correct them. But even though I know that’s what’s right. It’s not what I want.” Clarke looks away in embarrassment but Lexa gently redirects her gaze back to her own with a gentle hand. 

“The heart wants what the heart wants.” Lexa says softly. Her breath running over Clarke’s lips and face like a gentle caress. It draws Clarke in and she goes willingly until her lips are pressed softly against Lexa's. They kiss slowly, sweetly, with no destination. Lexa only stopping to place kisses against Clarke’s neck until Clarke draws the commander back to her mouth with her hands when she fears she won’t be able to contain any noises of pleasure anymore. 

“I have missed your voice.” Lexa husks into Clarke’s ear when a small moan of pleasure escapes Clarke’s lips during one such time. “I would hear it fully when we are not hiding in a pile of rubble.”

“Oh god.” Clarke hisses into the air between them, worked up even more by the implications of Lexa’s words, and pulls Lexa tighter against her. She reaches for the roundness of Lexa’s ass and pulls Lexa to rock against her.

Lexa gasps above her when her center slides against Clarke’s stomach and begins to aid in Clarke’s pushing and pulling of her ass. She kisses Clarke heatedly then, sliding her tongue along Clarke’s and nipping at her lips. All the while continuing her grind against the woman below her. “Jok, Klark.” Lexa moans breathily against Clarke’s mouth. Clarke squeezes Lexa’s ass roughly in response and pulls her plush bottom lip into her mouth. 

“Heda.” A hoarse whisper breaks through their haze. “Heda now.” 

Clarke pulls on Lexa harder when the commander breaks their frantic kissing and wishes the woman to ignore her gona and finish what they had started inside this pile of rubble. 

“Klark.” Lexa pleads. “Klark we must move.” 

Reluctantly, Clarke gives Lexa’s muscular ass one more squeeze before flattening her legs and releasing the commander. Lexa slides backwards out the hole and along Clarke’s body, a glint in her eye as she does so. It sends shocks down Clarke’s spine until Lexa breaks the feeling by pulling Clarke out by her ankles. 

“Will you stop dragging me out of places please?” Clarke hisses, crouching behind their pile of rubble next to Lexa and rubbing the life back into her numb butt. 

“If you moved quickly enough I wouldn’t feel the need to.” Lexa rebukes, shaking out her own stiff limbs and surreptitiously fixing the bunched material of her pants in her groin. She catches Clarke staring and huffs in disapproval before speaking in Trig to her gonas. 

“You must run as fast as you can when we are given the signal, Klark.” She stops to explain. “There is a small gap in the patrol. We should be able to make it to just before the tree line before we are spotted.”

“But what if-” Clarke starts only to be interrupted by one of the gona’s gruff signal and then they are off. Lexa grabbing Clarke firmly by the hand and hauling her along behind her. Lexa’s two gona go off in slightly different directions but Lexa leads them straight ahead, expertly weaving them through debris and the torn roots of trees that the ark had shorn the tops off of during it’s crash landing. Clarke trips on a gouge in the earth but Lexa quickly corrects her with a firm tug of her arm and they are off again. They’re further from the tree line than Clarke would have wanted when she hears yelling from the guards of the arc no doubt behind them. Shortly after, the air starts popping around Clarke and Lexa and soil starts flying into the air around them. A quick glance over and Clarke can see Lexa’s gonas being shot at as well but they are closer to the tree line. 

“Faster, Klark!” Lexa yells and pushes Clarke in front of her. Pushing her from behind to quicken her pace as well as protect Clarke with her own body. The fear of Lexa taking a bullet for Clarke drives her to pump her arms and legs faster than she thought capable. All Clarke can feel is Lexa’s hands on her back, urging her forward and the ache of her legs and lungs as she runs desperately forward. Clarke didn’t even know she had made it into the trees until Lexa had tackled her from behind and drug her behind the nearest tree. 

“You’re ok, Klark.” Lexa reassured her, her voice rough from exertion, her chest heaving. “You’re ok.” She repeats even as she runs her hands over Clarke’s body searching for wounds. “You’re ok.” 

“Heda!” Lexa’s gona calls out to her in the dark. 

“We’re fine!” Lexa calls back. Urging Clarke back to her feet. The firing had stopped for now but it seemed Lexa wouldn’t be happy until they were far away from the ark. Clarke would be happy if she could just breathe again. “Come on. While there’s a break. We must go.”

“I don’t know if I can.” Clarke heaved. Her hands on her knees trying to regain her breath. Lexa was still breathing heavily but she seemed to have already recovered from their sprint. 

“Come here.” Lexa said. Closing the distance between them and hauling Clarke back into the same hold she had had on her when she first found her in the woods and carried her to safety. 

“No.” Clarke protested, embarrassed to be carried again and not even wounded. 

“Save your pride for someone who cares, Goufa.” Lexa said, starting off on a jog deeper into the woods and putting as much distance between the ark and them as she could. 

  
  


↢ ∞ ↣

“I can’t believe my mother would let them shoot at me like that!” Clarke paced in the small hut back in TonDC. Lexa sat at the table nursing a bowl of steaming soup and calmly watching on. 

“And she ordered some of the guards to attack you!? Before the negotiations were even over?”

“Kane said it was a rebel group of your guard who attacked me and my gona. Not your mother.” Lexa corrected. “I told you this.”

“But how could she let this happen?” Clarke continued. “If the guards were shooting at us from the wall so brazenly then I bet my mother lost control. Oh god.” Realization struck Clarke and she sat firmly down on the chair across from Lexa. “They overthrew my mother and attacked us. Do you think she’s…”

“No, Klark.” Lexa interrupts. “Kane said he would look after your mother. I’m sure she is safe. Just maybe in the cell she had intended for you.” She takes a thoughtful bite before continuing. “I would have thought that your people overthrowing your mother’s rule would be for the better but it seems some of your people are even more unintelligent than I could have imagined.

“I don’t see an easy way out of this. My people will not let this stand. The sky people shot at their commander. If I do not retaliate I will be seen as weak. I’m sorry Klark, but at this point there’s not much more I can do. I can send word to whoever is in charge of your people and offer them the same deal I offered your mother. Including willing to take in sky people who wish to leave the ark behind and fully integrate. Although I feel those options will not be greeted warmly.” 

“So what now?” Clarke asks, defeated. She couldn’t even get her mother to listen to her. There was no way that whoever was in charge now was going to take any kind of deal Lexa offered. Their stupidity was going to get all of the Arkers killed. 

“I have already sent word to one of my generals. She is to round up the sky people who fell from the sky alongside you and bring them here. We will try to use them to negotiate with the Ark. If that fails then we will lay siege on the people in the Ark and starve them out.”

“Wait.” Clarke says. “What do you mean use the kids from the dropship to negotiate with? Are you going to hurt them?”

“Your people have all but declared war, Klark.” Lexa said frustrated. “What would you have me do?”

“I…” Clarke didn’t know. She was just a kid until recently. She was just a kid living on the ark with zero inkling that she would be down on Earth in a years time and that there would be humans living on it. She had a best friend, loving parents and a future. Then it had all gone to shit. She had never learned about military tactics or how to negotiate a peace. She was a kid until she was imprisoned in solitary for a year and sent down to earth to die. She had grown up quick but it wasn’t good enough. It wasn’t enough to save her people from self destruction. 

“I promise I will do everything in my power to protect the sky people who cooperate. But I am Heda, Klark. My people must always come first.”

“And what about me?” Clarke asks, staring down the commander across from her. 

“You are my people, Klark.” Lexa said slow and clearly, staring right back. “If you choose so. I would have you join my people as a grounder and leave the sky behind. I would keep you by my side if you were in agreement with me and I would name you Trikru.”

“Keep me by your side?” Clarke asks, wanting clarification. Did Lexa mean by her side as an ally or as a partner? 

“I would think it fairly clear by this point how I feel about you, Klark.” Lexa says, a blush creeping up her neck and painting her cheeks prettily. “If you don’t return the sentiment then I would still happily name you whatever kru you choose and ensure you a peaceful existence among my people.” She clears her throat and holds her gaze with Clarke’s, trying to hide her nervousness behind a steely gaze. But Clarke can see it in the way her jaw clenches and her eye’s grow slightly glassy. In the way the blush still holds firm to Lexa’s skin and now creeps into her ears exposed by the braids holding her hair away from her face. 

“How do you feel about me, Heda?” Clarke pushes for more, already knowing the answer now. 

“Rather passionately, Klark.” Lexa says softly, standing from her place and moving next to Clarke and urging her from her own seat. 

“Show me?” Clarke asks the woman pulling her gently from her seat. 

“That depends.” Lexa said, nosing at Clarke’s own.

“On what?” Clarke asks breathless. 

“If you would consent to me spending the rest of this evening doing so. I’m afraid any less time wouldn’t do my feelings justice.” 

Clarke tilts her head back in a full laugh while Lexa presses her smile to her exposed throat. 

“Goufa.” Clarke teases, reaching for Lexa’s face and pulling her lips close to hers, sharing her breath and shuffling closer to the commander. 

“Klark.” Lexa says seriously. Gripping Clarke’s waist and staring directly into her eyes. “Be mine tonight? Whatever tomorrow may bring. However poorly the relations between our people may turn out to be. Would you be willing to cast thoughts of tomorrow aside to be with me now?”

Clarke’s stomach flips and her extremities tingle at what Lexa is promising for their night and she barely manages to smile and nod before pushing into the commander's space and claiming her lips with her own. The kiss starts slow and fairly chaste. Lexa wraps her arms around Clarke’s waist and pulls her close to her body and sighs contently into Clarke’s mouth. Her breath is intoxicating to Clarke. The smell of it, the warmth as it slides over her lips. That plus the softness of Lexa’s lips as she gently presses them against Clarke’s own sparks Clarke’s need for the beautiful woman into a blaze. 

Guiding Lexa backwards, Clarke teases the seam of Lexa’s mouth with her tongue asking for entrance. Lexa moans and presses forward, sliding her own tongue into Clarke’s mouth before changing angles and kissing her deeper. They reach the bed and clumsily collapse on top of the furs where Lexa proceeds to pull Clarke further into the bed and on top of her, sliding her hand into the back of Clarke’s pants and letting her calloused fingers tease the creamy flesh there. 

“Is this ok?” Lexa asks breathless, her hand remaining where it was but motionless.

“God, yes, Lexa.” Clarke says, sitting up to straddle the commanders waist and begin pulling at the various straps and buckles of the light armor Lexa still wore from her time in Arcadia. 

Lexa chuckles and gives Clarke’s ass a teasing squeeze before she removes her hand and helps Clarke to relieve her of the offending leather. 

“You look amazing in that but it’s not convenient to get off.” Clarke teases, leaning down to kiss the exposed skin of Lexa’s collar bones. 

“It’s made to… it’s meant to, ah!” Lexa hisses and pushes her hips up into Clarke’s when Clarke nips a bruise into the column of her throat. “It’s made to protect me, not be easy to take off.” She finishes with a huff before disarming Clarke herself with surely places palms on her breasts. The commander pushes up to connect her lips with Clarke’s and sits up with Clarke still straddling her lap before kissing along her jawline. Reaching Clarke’s ear, Lexa draws her lobe in her mouth and husks, “I think you have clothing that is easier to remove…”

“God, Lexa.” Clarke moans. She threads her fingers into thick waves and draws Lexa’s mouth from her skin with an audible pop. Her core is on fire and all she wants to do is grind thoughtlessly onto the woman beneath her. But there are things she wants to say before they get too carried away. Self conscious thoughts she needs to vocalize. “I want to tell you something.” 

Lexa’s face rights itself into its emotionless façade and she nods ever so slightly in understanding. “Please, Klark. Feel free to share anything you want with me. If this is all moving at too quick of a pace I would never want to force myself on you or push you into-”

“Lex.” Clarke interrupts. “It’s not that. All I can think about lately is this.” Clarke waves down at the way they sit intertwined on the bed and presses a gentle kiss to Lexa’s mouth. 

Lexa’s cheeks blush prettily and her face softens. “Then what is it, ai hodon? Are there...certain desires you wish to obtain from me?”

“What? No!” Clarke stammers, wild thoughts of what Lexa could be referring to racing through her mind causing more heat to rush between her legs. “I mean, yes.” She shakes her head, trying to clear her mind.

“Yes?” Lexa asks. “Like what? Do not be ashamed.” 

“No it’s not like that!” Clarke tries to correct. “I mean. Maybe one day.”

“Ok.” Lexa says, raising a brow in question. 

“I’ve never done this...sex. With a girl before.” She says quickly and blushes watching Lexa’s face intently for any hint of discomfort or regret. 

“I would first like to argue that we are both women.” Lexa smiles softly. “Secondly, I would just like to say that as long as this is what you want and this is most assuredly what I want, then you have nothing to worry about.” Lexa’s eyes soften and she moves her hands to cup her face. “I promise I will only give you pleasure on this night. As long as that is what you want. We can go slow and at any point we can stop. I would be happy to just lay by your side and hold you while you slept.”

Clarke can’t help the grin that splits her lips at the reassuring words. “Ok.” 

“Ok?” Lexa verifies, a smile of her own taking over her features. 

Clarke nods and dives to connect their lips once more. “Ok.” She whispers against pillowy lips before proceeding to give herself fully to the beautiful woman beneath her. 

↢ ∞ ↣

The early morning light shone through the window and lit up the backs of Clarke’s eyelids. She refused to open her eyes yet and instead rolled over and pressed her sated body against the warm length of Lexa’s laying next to her. She slid her hands over warm flesh to drag the lithe form closer to her own. 

“Mmm.” Lexa hummed now half awake and turned in the messed sheets to bury her nose into the mess of hair and skin of Clarke’s neck. 

“Hmm.” Clarke called back softly and dug her fingers into unruly brown curls. 

“That’s nice.” Lexa’s rough morning voice puffed against Clarke’s neck. 

Clarke finally opened her eyes to stare at the beauty laid next to her. The furs had song since been kicked off the bed leaving behind a thin sheet that was now tangled along with their legs acting as more of a hindrance than any kind of covering. Lexa’s long limbs stretched against hers. Muscled thighs attached to love bit hips and a toned stomach. Toned arms reached forward to draw Clarke’s skin against her own and impossibly plump lips made more pillowy from a night of love making and warm sleeping peeked out from a mane of unruly brown waves. Lexa was the most beautiful creature Clarke had ever seen and the way she had cared for Clarke and in turn let Clarke care for her made her that much more beautiful. 

“I want to wake up like this every day.” Clarke whispered. Breaking the morning silence. 

“Mmm.” Lexa smiles close-lipped and kisses Clarke’s naked shoulder. “And I would like to go to sleep like that every night.” 

They chuckle together and fall into a comfortable silence. No doubt reliving their previous night behind sleepy eyelids. 

“Lexa?” Clarke questions after a while companionable silence.

“Sha, ai hodon?” 

There was that word again that Clarke didn’t recognize. She’s paused briefly to consider it before continuing. “Do you think we could really bring our people together?”

The commander sighs heavily and emerges fully from her tangle of hair. Pushing it back with her hands before leaning up on her elbows and staring hard at the sheets below her. “I hope so.” She says. “I don’t know but I hope so.” She turns to face Clarke fully then, “If that’s what needs to be done for this to be our future. I desperately hope so.” Lexa traces her fingers lightly over the curve of Clarke’s hips as she continues. “But I am Heda, Klark. My people must always come first. If your people do not see reason, I will have no choice but to take action against them. 

“If our people cannot find peace... I would beg you to separate from them and join me. I know it’s unfair of me to put my people first and turn around to ask you to do the opposite. But if that’s what I must ask for us to be together. I will.”

“You don’t have to ask me anything, Lexa.” Clarke says. “I will fight for my people who don’t want to stay with the ark. But I can’t see myself leaving you to rejoin a people who I disagree with. Who abandoned me here to die.” 

Lexa smiles sadly and reaches for Clarke’s now bare wrist, tracing the small scars the health tracker had left behind when her mother removed it. “I will do everything in my power to protect any Skaikru who wish to join my people.” She promises. “But as long as you will have me. I will never let you go.”

An unexpected sob shakes Clarke’s body and she laughs at herself. Especially when Lexa quickly becomes worried and wraps her in her arms. The thought that no matter what hardship they might face, they would be facing it together, brought Clarke to her metaphorical knees. She could not have imagined a world on the ground with Lexa a short few weeks ago. Now, she would never have to imagine a world on the ground without her. 

**Author's Note:**

> This is a lot less dramatic than my other stories but I guess my soul just needed some good ass fluff in my life. Still I hope it was enjoyable and you didn't think too hard about all the plot holes I'm sure I created so I could write some mostly pain free Lexa/Clarke content. All mistakes are mine own. Let me know what you thought and... idk what your favorite book is at the moment.


End file.
